Leaving a legacy for future students

Dr. Robert (MD ’85) and Pamela Munson

Dr. Munson is a retired U.S. Air Force pilot and physician. He and Pam married in 1973, and she worked at Stritch as a medical technologist when Bob studied there in the early 1980s. They have designated a significant gift to Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine in their estate plan to support student scholarships. They live and perform extensive volunteer work in Colorado.

Q: Describe your experience at Stritch.

(Bob) The thing that struck me while I was a student at Loyola was the overall friendliness I encountered. Everybody wanted to be helpful to me and my classmates. Though I was not Catholic, I appreciated the Jesuit leaders-in-service theme that went along with our education.

Q: Why have you included Loyola in your estate plan?

(Pam) Loyola helped us to get to where we are today. It had a very positive effect on our family, and when we came back for the class reunion last September, we were impressed by how the school has grown. It has expanded in such a positive manner, and we were really captivated by the students we met. We know that by giving this gift, we can help others even beyond our lifetimes.

Q: Why do you feel it is important to support the school?

(Bob) Whether we realize it or not, we all succeed on the shoulders of others who have supported us in the past—and that should provide us all with a sense of responsibility to those that follow us.

Q: What are your hopes for the estate gift?

(Bob) Our gift is set up primarily to support scholarships for students who demonstrate financial need. We have indicated that when possible, we would like special consideration to be given to students with a military affiliation. If there is a low demand for scholarships in a given year, we trust the University to use the money where needed most.