Catherine Atkins Crawford Endows Scholarship Honoring Her Late Son and Leaves Legacy Gift to Support Future Students

Catherine Atkins Crawford was the first in her family to attend college. “My mother did not have any money at all to help me,” she says. “I know from experience the importance of being able to have some type of financial support. I would like to see more students be given the opportunity to go to college.”

To ensure her support for WP continues beyond her lifetime, Catherine has included a gift to the University in her estate plan. In addition to her legacy giving, she has created an endowed scholarship to honor her late son, Andrew B. Crawford Jr. ’01. “I want to be able to help as many students as possible through this scholarship,” she says. “Even when I am no longer on this earth, I pray that a student will benefit from the life of my son.”

As a student, Andrew dedicated himself to serving and showing love to others. He was a resident assistant and worked as a tutor to the other students. He was a friend and encourager to his peers and other young men on campus. Andrew was a student representative to the Board of Trustees for the University and a role model and mentor in the student club Brothers for Awareness.

After enjoying a 32-year career teaching elementary school language arts and social studies, Catherine retired from teaching as a reading specialist. She completed her degree in mental health counseling and currently counsels part time and travels in the United States and abroad as a missionary evangelist.

Catherine encourages others to join her in leaving a planned gift to support future students. “All of us should consider leaving a legacy,” she concludes. “What do you want that legacy to be? I would love to be a blessing to somebody else by letting them know that they are not alone and that they have a purpose for their life.”