Lift - Fall 2011 - (Page 20)

G iv i n G to E m b ry-r i d d lE A winning combination Bob and Bobbi Coleman turn their philosophy of giving into opportunities for Embry-Riddle student-athletes generosity, thanks to a charitable gift annuity they established to support student-athletes. “We wanted to do something for an organization in our community that we feel strongly about,” Bob says. Champions in the Classroom Bob and Bobbi Coleman created a charitable gift annuity to benefit student-athletes at Embry-Riddle. W By Anthony Brown hen it comes to their philosophy of giving, Bob and Bobbi Coleman are as like-minded as their names would suggest. “God, country, family and community,” Bob says, “That’s our philosophy.” “But not always in that order,” Bobbi points out. “That’s right,” Bob continues. “It’s not a binary choice, but a combination of those things.” The couple have spent much of their lives in service to this combination, and Embry-Riddle is one of the most recent beneficiaries of their a love of Country and Community Another factor in the Colemans’ decision was the university’s close connection to the military. 20 LIFT FAll 2011 www.gIvIngTo.erau.edu Photo by Chris Carta The gift is the culmination of a long-term relationship with Embry-Riddle that began when Bob, a former executive at Florida Power and Light, met Embry-Riddle Athletic Director Steve Ridder and saw the university’s emphasis on performance in the classroom as well as on the field. “Steve Ridder always talks about the complete student. He never uses the word ‘athlete.’ It’s always ‘student-athlete,’ ” says Bob. For Bobbi, who has spent years supporting education in Volusia County working with the FUTURES Foundation, education is the key to a strong community. “It all comes down to academics,” she says. “And that’s what Embry-Riddle is about.” On a more personal level, the Embry-Riddle student-athletes reminded her of Bob when he was attending Florida Institute of Technology and playing on its basketball team. “He was a lot like these student-athletes today,” she recalls. “He was a student and his main objective wasn’t to play basketball, it was to get an electrical engineering degree.” Choosing to support Embry-Riddle’s student-athletes was an especially easy decision after spending time on campus over the years. “You walk around the campus or through the Student Union and you get a feeling,” Bob says. “These young people are quick, bright and they converse well. They are focused on academics.” “I like the way the young people here view their school and their country. These are the kinds of kids you want your kids to be.” http://www.givingto.erau.edu

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lift - Fall 2011

Lift - Fall 2011
Table of contents
Letter from the President
Chatter
Partnership expands high-performance vehicle research
Leading ladies
5-Star Philanthropist
Birds of a feather
We made it happen in 2011!
A winning combination
Blue sky landing
Alumni news
Class notes

Lift - Fall 2011