Donor Profile: Colette and Jerry Coleman

As the first person in her family to go to college, Colette Coleman felt a special bond with her speech pathology students who were also first-generation. After retiring from Sacramento State, the former professor and her husband, Jerry, established a scholarship to help make it easier for those students to achieve their dreams. The Colemans are also members of the Legacy Circle, which honors those who have included the University in their estate plans.

The Colemans have contributed to Sacramento State's general scholarship fund over the years but after a windfall from the sale of some art, they decided to set up an endowment for scholarships for students in Speech Pathology and Audiology.

The scholarships are named for their parents: Uelva and Verion LaVanture, and Clara and Robert Coleman.

"I was always impressed at graduation at how many students were the first in their families to graduate," says Colette.

"I was the first in my family to finish college so I have an affinity for those who are struggling, because they may be having a hard time or the family may not understand why it is important for the student to go to school."

Though she and her husband earned degrees elsewhere--Colette at the University of Washington and both Colette and Jerry at the University of Denver--Colette says her closest ties are to Sacramento State. "We're impressed with the caliber of students. They are so dedicated and hard-working."

Colette, who taught at Sacramento State for 30 years, was hired by Maryjane Rees, for whom the Maryjane Rees Language, Speech and Hearing Center is named. "I didn't plan to stay for 30 years but did because Maryjane Rees was such a good leader," she says. "Everyone really had the best interests of the students and the program at heart."

During her tenure, Colette served as department chair, worked in the clinic, did research and helped direct the Assistive Device Center.

For the last five years, the Colemans have been splitting their time between Ashland, Oregon and Honolulu, where Colette teaches part-time in the speech pathology department at the University of Hawai'i.

To print a Bequest brochure titled "Wills and Trusts", please click here.