Shirley Hole Endowed Scholarship
John ("Jack") Wesley Hole, Whittier resident, retired science educator, and proud Poet parent and grandparent, established an endowed scholarship at Whittier College in memory of his beloved wife, Shirley.
The family's scholarship is awarded each year to students interested in pursuing a career in science or health care. Jack's transformative gift and his commitment to continue to add to the scholarship through his estate plan will create a legacy of opportunity for generations of Whittier science students to come.
Q: Jack, although you are not an alumnus of Whittier, the College has played an important role in your life. Can you share a few ways that you have connected with Whittier College over the years?
A: Throughout my career as an educator, I had the privilege of working with numerous Whittier College graduates. While I was a beginning biology teacher at Whittier High School, nearly half of the science department faculty were Whittier alumni. I was always impressed by their professional character, academic knowledge, and the quality of their teaching. I can attribute much of my success to the many mentors and colleagues I had over the years who were educated at Whittier including Dan Tebbs '37, Myron Claxton '40, James Robinson '47, and Don Jenkins '53. I am also the proud father of Karen Hole '82 and grandfather of Lilia '11 and Natalie '13. They received an outstanding education at Whittier College, and I was fortunate to witness their academic growth as Whittier students.
Q: We are grateful to you and your family for establishing an endowed scholarship to support students at Whittier College. What was your inspiration?
A: As an educator, I particularly value the quality education that my daughter and granddaughters received at Whittier. They developed close relationships with faculty, had unique opportunities to do original research with professors, and were inspired to make a positive difference in their communities. As a young man I always dreamed of attending a small liberal arts college like Whittier, but wasn't able to for financial reasons. Our family scholarship honors my wife's memory and ensures that young students with an interest in pursuing careers in science or healthcare have the opportunity to receive an excellent education at Whittier.
Q: You are a member of the Philadelphian Society at Whittier College. Why is that important to you?
A: Whittier College has provided a special place for my family, and I wanted to honor my wife's memory with something enduring and meaningful. While I was able to establish the scholarship a few years ago with an initial gift, I know that I will be able to significantly add to the scholarship by means of a gift from my estate. This will honor my family's connection to the College and will continue to help deserving students beyond my lifetime.
To learn more about how to make a difference to deserving Whittier students through scholarship support, please contact us.
Learn more about becoming a member of the Philadelphian Society!
The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to estate and income taxes include federal taxes only. State income/estate taxes or state law may impact your results.
