Emporia State University has been named the benefactor of a tremendously generous gift by a now-departed alumnus.
The university announced Thursday that ESU graduate and longtime supporter Robert Chatham, who passed away in August of last year, made a posthumous donation of $200,000 to the university. That money will be split in half with $100,000 providing scholarships for students in the ESU departments of biological sciences and mathematics and another $100,000 set aside to provide scholarships for student-athletes competing in “minor sports” meaning all athletics aside from football and basketball.
The donations come from separate insurance policies which Chatham pledged to the ESU Foundation back in 1993. Chatham graduated from ESU back in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in education in biology with a minor in math. Chatham later attained his master’s degree in biology in 1962 and went on to teach for 34 years at Abilene High School.
Chatham was known as “Mr. ESU” for his love of his alma mater which included being a visible presence at most ESU athletic events over the years. For his continued support of his alma mater, Chatham was honored with the University Service Citation award back in 1987.
