Grateful for Three Degrees, Donna Rottengen Gives Back with Scholarship and Through Her Estate

As a first-generation college student whose parents were not able to help finance her education, Donna Rottengen ’65, MS ’71, MEd ’73 was grateful for the scholarships that helped her earn three degrees at William Paterson University and have a multifaceted career in education. In gratitude, she has established a current scholarship and is also making a legacy gift from retirement funds as part of her smart estate planning.

“I was a first-generation college student, and the William Paterson scholarship in my name is an opportunity to give back and provide a leg up to help students so they won’t have to work two jobs and go to school full-time,” Donna says. “I also designated William Paterson as a beneficiary of a percentage of my IRA.” Then she laughs and adds, “Though I hope they will not be receiving my legacy gift for quite a few more years.”

Donna grew up in Denville, New Jersey, about 20 miles from campus. She was particularly impressed with William Paterson’s science department and double majored in biology and chemistry. She helped start the Science Club on campus, took photographs for the yearbook, and was inducted into the Kappa Delta Phi Honor Society.

“We had a wonderful group of science program students with excellent professors and small class sizes,” she recalls.

Donna went on to earn a master of science degree in ecology followed by a master of education degree that qualified her as a school counselor and administrator. She worked as a high school biology teacher and then as a school counselor, rising to become district director of special services for the district where she once was a student. She is now “joyfully retired” in Hope, New Jersey. She urges other William Paterson graduates to consider giving back.

“If we feel that we have had a good career and made something of our lives, then we should all pay it forward,” she says.