A ❤️ for Helping Others
Fall 2026 - After beginning college at another school, Andy was encouraged by his high school girlfriend’s family to reconsider his choice — a moment Jack said was when “fate stepped in.”
The family traveled to every Baylor football game in an RV filled with family and friends. One weekend, Andy joined them.
“After a weekend of Baylor football, Andy came home and asked, ‘Can I go to Baylor?’ Jack remembered. “He was accepted, headed off to Baylor for four years and enjoyed every moment.”
Andy fully immersed himself in the Baylor experience. In fact, prior to earning a BBA in 1987, he became Baylor’s first official costumed mascot — the first bear to wear a Baylor jersey.
The Power of IRAs
Today, the line of Baylor graduates in Jack’s family has extended to three grandchildren, each of whom he said had a wonderful time in Waco.
Jack also knows from experience that paying for a Baylor education can be challenging. He recalled having to scramble to figure out how to help his son attend Baylor. As a result, Jack has devoted himself, in his retirement, to helping current and prospective Baylor students solve the financial puzzle of going to Baylor.
“We were blessed with a small business that grew steadily over 40 years,” he said. “We had an IRA program that started humbly. As the years passed, the value of that account grew significantly. As I approached retirement, I realized I had a significant amount in my IRA that I wanted to put to meaningful use.”
With guidance from his estate attorney, Jack learned how powerful his IRA could be as a source for making significant gifts to charitable causes.
Supporting Success
Since then, Jack has made IRA charitable rollover gifts to Baylor each year for the past 19 years, in addition to supporting the John Hurst Bennett Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Spencer Family Endowed Scholarship Fund, which provide general scholarship support for Baylor students.
“The IRA charitable rollover is the easiest thing you can do,” Jack replied when asked what he would say to others who are considering adding a planned gift to their current giving to Baylor.
Such gifts also provide opportunities for putting one of Jack’s core beliefs into action.
“I have always believed that the way to solve many inequalities in our society is education,” he said. “IRA gifts are an easy way to give to Baylor for student scholarships — especially students with the greatest need due to limited resources.”
Baylor staff members helped Jack direct his philanthropic support to students who have already qualified for a federal Pell Grant, thereby boosting their financial assistance.
“Every year, all the students who benefit from our scholarship send me a letter,” he said. “I am always impressed with their academic successes and areas of study. I am grateful that we had the opportunity to support so many wonderful young people.”