Eldon Kronewitter's '52 Life-long Generosity Supports Students

Eldon Kronewitter, an Earlham graduate from the Class of 1952, has a track record of setting challenging goals for himself and consistently reaching them.

When he and his wife Gloria were first married, they both aimed for the earliest possible retirement. Throughout their careers, they lived frugally and invested their money wisely — all in preparation for life after work. When the opportunity for early retirement finally arose, both happily accepted on the same day.

“In fact, when I left work on my last day, I played a tape with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing “Hallelujah,” Eldon said.

Eldon and Gloria have set another important goal that has been several decades in the making — to contribute significantly to the institutions that provided their educations and the knowledge needed to succeed in their careers in public health. The students of Earlham College, the University of Chicago and St. Catharine’s College are the beneficiaries of this generosity.

The Kronewitters launched this objective for themselves many years ago, when they first set up their wills to establish endowed scholarships.

An endowed scholarship requires a minimum contribution of $50,000 to be fully funded and ensured in perpetuity. The Kronewitters chose this option because they knew it would benefit students from their three alma maters as long as the schools were in existence.

“I think both of us are rather appreciative of what these schools did for us,” Eldon explained. “I couldn’t have made it through Earlham without the assistance the College gave me — and we both felt a commitment to give back to the institutions that helped us get where we are today.”

Today, Eldon’s ties to Earlham are apparent. He still keeps in close contact with many of the surviving members of his graduating class, and this past autumn helped lead his classmates in giving to their class scholarship fund in honor of their 55-year reunion.

“My passion for Earlham is my passion for my class,” he said. “We were always so close and did so much together as a group. We’ve remained close all these years, and for me, the Class of 1952 is Earlham.”

It was upon that 1952 graduation that Eldon’s educational relationship with the College came to an end and his philanthropic relationship as an alumnus began. In celebration of their upcoming commencement, he and many of his fellow classmates signed their residence hall security deposit over to Earlham to establish their class gift. The money supported an entrance gate at the National Road entrance, which has since been replaced.

“I’ve given to Earlham College ever since,” Eldon exclaimed. “Some years the amount was less than others, but I still gave.”

And often, Eldon and Gloria have given in support of student scholarships in recognition of the commitment they feel to the schools that supported them when they needed it most.

“I feel I’m making a repayment,” Eldon said. “We’re leaving our money to an endowed scholarship because we want to students to directly benefit from what we’re giving.

“That’s our goal.”

Estate planning is one of the most significant ways that many alumni and friends choose to support the College. It’s always an important decision when including a philanthropic gift in a will, and a number of Earlham alumni have found it to be an ideal option for establishing a permanent financial resource through endowed funds and scholarships — something that anyone can do, not only the very wealthy. Many of Earlham’s endowed gifts have come from donors of relatively modest means.

When an endowed gift is given, the College agrees to hold it in perpetuity. The gift is invested with only a portion of its annual return being used to fund the purposes specified by the donor, with a goal to ensure the principal maintains its value over time. Thus, a donor who creates an endowed gift today can be confident that it will grow and continue to support Earlham in the years to come.