Personal Giving Stories

COUPLE WILL ADD TO THEIR SCHOLARSHIP WITH ESTATE GIFT

“We want to give others the sort of exciting learning opportunities that have shaped our own careers and lives.” —Linda Kopecky (’81)

In 2015 Frank and Linda Kopecky created an endowed scholarship fund for UIS students. Each year either an English student (Linda’s field) or a legal studies student (Frank’s field) receives the scholarship. Recently, the couple also established a gift in their wills to increase the value of the scholarship fund and help even more students after they’re gone.

Frank and Linda Kopecky met and married when they were students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since that time, the couple has had a long and rewarding connection to the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS). The Kopeckys live near UIS and continue to be active in the University community.

Linda earned her master’s degree in English from UIS (then Sangamon State) in 1981, and Frank taught legal studies at UIS until retiring in 2002. In fact, Frank designed the legal studies program and the Center for Legal Studies at UIS.

In addition to their scholarship, they also give generously to the UIS Fund, Brookens Library, NPR Illinois/UIS 91.9, the Illinois Innocence Project and, more recently, the new Student Union, currently under construction at UIS.

The U of I Foundation gift planning staff is pleased to answer your questions and offer assistance at any time. Please contact the Foundation to learn more.