Published in October of 1998.

Of those who have watched Southwestern University mature over the last quarter century, Rick Eason has witnessed its evolution from several perspectives - as a student in the 60s and 70s, as an alumnus, and for the past eighteen years as Southwestern's Vice President for Development.

"It's hard for me to separate my role on the staff and my persona as a Southwestern degree holder, but I reflect often on the value of my experience as a student," says Eason. "My perception is that the quality of the experience is so much better than it was 25 years ago. Everyone should be able to say that. As we get older we ought to all get better. Southwestern has clearly done that."

The institution has made giant leaps, especially in the last two decades. Initiatives, such as the Brown Challenge - designed to inspire alumni giving - has helped grow Southwestern's endowment to $328 million, one of the highest endowments per student in the nation.

Eason has also been instrumental, along with President Roy Shilling, Jr. and a Trustee Steering Committee, in spearheading a comprehensive effort known as Leadership 2000, the Southwestern Campaign - an ambitious, eight-year push to raise funds for student scholarships, facilities and current operations. This campaign, which ends in December 1998, has raised in excess of $91 million. Its success symbolizes the commitment of the greater Southwestern community to the University's viability, well into the 21st century.

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Times have changed at Texas' first institution of higher education. In 1973, the year of Eason's graduation, Southwestern was hardly known as a liberal arts and sciences institution, the faculty and student bodies were smaller, alumni involvement was weak, and the facilities were far less grand.

Today, Southwestern is nationally recognized for its academic program, enrollment hovers around an ideal of 1,200 students, alumni volunteer and donate gifts in record numbers, and the facilities are among the best in the country according to objective arbiters of higher education.

What hasn't changed, however, is the impact Southwestern continues to make on the lives of students who enroll.

"Speaking for myself, but also in the context of what I know a lot of my classmates are doing, I think we were well prepared and positioned through our educational experience here to do something with our lives. Southwestern is a pleasure to work for - is a wonderful place for me in particular - but I realize it was Southwestern that gave me that opportunity to have a highly productive professional life."

Following graduation, Eason worked for a national pharmaceutical company in San Antonio, managing a local sales region while commuting north to train sales agents in Ridgefield, Conn.

In 1980, Dr. Bill Jones, then Administrative Vice President Provost and Professor of History, called Eason to encourage him to apply for a development director position. At first, Eason wavered. He couldn't imagine asking for money from alumni and friends.

Says Eason, "Bill Jones was persuasive - even then. One thing led to another, and by December 1980, I was here."

Once he arrived, Eason set out to change the culture of philanthropy at Southwestern. Less than 10 percent of alumni participated in any kind of annual fund or annual gift program and enthusiasm for any type of alumni involvement was low.

"Annual giving is the foundation of any successful, comprehensive fund development program," says Eason. "All the top undergraduate liberal arts and sciences colleges have sustained annual gift support from alumni, no exceptions."

Indeed, the decision to allocate gifts to the annual fund for scholarships and student aid has been popular with alumni. It's also been a crucial factor in making Southwestern affordable to a wide range of students.

"More than 60 percent of our students receive either need-based aid or merit-based aid. That helps them to make the decision or, in many cases, literally enables them to have access to the Southwestern University experience. Alumni investment in that, is an investment in the quality of the student body."

Still, with alumni participation holding at only 32 percent last year, Eason feels that alumni must be encouraged to think about 'giving' in a new way. Too often, he says, alumni think only of reasons not to give.

"I do get disheartened at times that so many people can let one aspect of the experience or one issue keep them from investing in the lives of the people who are living, working and studying here."

Eason believes that if every degree holder viewed their Southwestern experience in a balanced way, alumni giving and participation would reach levels comparable to that of the best small colleges in the country.

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Aside from celebrating the culmination of a successful campaign, Eason also recently celebrated another milestone - his 25th college reunion.

His own personal journey has included a rich life both in and beyond the walls of Southwestern. While conceding that he's perceived to be "intense and focus driven," Eason finds time to explore a variety of interests. He's an avid outdoorsman, whose activities range from bird watching to cycling and landscape photography. Eason is also an audiophile whose musical tastes range from classical and jazz to blues and Texas folk.

Yet few things come close to the passion with which Eason approaches his daily career. He truly believes in the value of Southwestern's educational experience and encourages both his classmates and other alumni to express their love of the school with the students who now attend.

"It's a way of knowing you're going to have a lasting impact in the world. If I've learned anything in almost twenty years of being around here, it's that students who come out of this experience have extraordinary capabilities - they're going to do extraordinary things. Investing in those people returns more than any other thing I can think of."

Rick received the 2001 Hall of Fame Award from District IV of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. The award honors a professional who no longer works in a formal advancement operation but has made a long-term impact on the profession, institution and district. Eason is now a consultant with Marts & Lundy, an advancement consulting firm.