Ed and Shirley Cheramy

When Ed and Shirley Cheramy prepared their estate plan, they decided to honor their daughter and nephews with charitable estate gifts to their respective alma maters. "I got the idea years ago when the family started a scholarship in honor of my father-in-law," Shirley said. "He was so thrilled to receive the letters from the scholarship recipients."

Growing up in Spokane, Shirley had many family members who went to Eastern. She also attended Eastern for three years before she moved to Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington with an accounting degree. She spent her career at PriceWaterhouse—eventually promoting to partner, the fourth female in the company to earn partner status in the U.S.

Ed grew up in Kansas, graduated from college on the west coast, then moved to Los Angeles for a job at PriceWaterhouse, where he later met Shirley. They married a few years later and he left the company to work for a satellite telecommunications business.

Their successful careers prompted them to ponder ways they could leave a legacy for the next generation. In 2018, Shirley established an endowed scholarship for female accounting majors at EWU and feels honored to give back.

"I received a scholarship at Eastern and that was how I made it through college," she said. "I see what a difference EWU makes in terms of education and career opportunities. On a personal level, it's such a joy to make a difference in someone's life."

Ed and Shirley's estate gift to EWU will create a scholarship named for their nephew, who is an Eastern alumnus. "We want our family to experience the joy of having a scholarship in their name."