With Great Expectations

A salutation borrowed from a beloved Baylor professor perfectly captures Beverly Eberts' (BA '51) confidence in the abilities of Baylor students.

"Dr. Cornelia Smith was an inspiration to me," Eberts said, expressing her admiration for the longtime chair of Baylor University's biology department. "She always closed her letters when she wrote to students, 'With great expectations of you.' I said, 'You know, that is a good thing.' So I did that as well when I wrote to my scholarship students."

Great expectations also summarizes Beverly's anticipation for the impact of her investment in the lives of the students who benefit from her generosity. The matriarch of a proud Baylor family, she has seen the rewards of a Baylor education in her own life and the lives of her loved ones.

"I know what kind of education I had, my husband had and our daughter, son-in-law and then our grandchildren had," Beverly said, proudly recounting her family's long relationship with her alma mater. "Just by personal family experience, I know there are other families who care enough for their children to do what it takes to send them to Baylor. We wanted to help."

Gifts That Grow

Beverly still remembers her husband, Jim (BA '51), showing her the stack of stubs from the checks he sent to Baylor to put their daughter, Donna Eberts McCown (BA' 75, MA '76), through Baylor. He had kept every one of them during Donna's five years as a student.

"It was almost six inches high," she laughed.

The stack of checks didn't represent an ending, however, but a beginning. They were an example of how an investment, bit by bit, could grow over time.

Recognizing the impact their steady support could continue to have, the Eberts began giving to Baylor shortly thereafter and never looked back, forming the James F. and Beverly H. Eberts Scholarship Fund. After Jim passed away in 1999, Beverly continued the legacy of giving to students in the Hankamer School of Business and Communication Sciences and Disorders department.

"I know there are other families who care enough for their children to send them to Baylor, and if something happens along the way that they can't, this could be the difference," Beverly said.

That dedication made an impression on their daughter, who saw the power of her parents' consistent giving.

"My mom and dad never lived extravagantly," Donna reflected, "but always with an idea of what they could do to be useful with their money. Baylor was one of the places that they decided was a worthwhile investment-an investment in people."

Beverly finds a sense of both peace and anticipation knowing that her gifts to Baylor will pay perpetual dividends, and she expects great returns on the investment she and her husband began growing over 30 years ago.

"It gives me joy; it gave my husband great joy," Beverly reflected. "He used to say that your life is a bucket, and if you put your finger inside and take it out, you'll see the ripples. If you invest in others, then your legacy will live on even after your life is gone. I never forgot him saying that, and I believe that is the way it works out."

Extraordinary Stories are Unfolding at Baylor

Set in motion before students ever set foot on our campus, their stories continue wherever their feet carry them. Just like Beverly, you can write your own chapter in the life of a remarkable student. Baylor graduates are changing the world. And every gift-no matter the size-helps them get there. Make your gift today.