Gift of Insurance

They met at a Stew Hall dance in September 1963. Later they kissed under the old walnut tree. For Clyde and Carol Cressler, this was the beginning of their wonderful life together-and their on-going relationship with Shippensburg University.

Carol always wanted to be a teacher. She visited campus with two of her girlfriends and quickly decided Ship was the place for her. Clyde and his family grew up in Shippensburg and the local college was an obvious choice. Carol graduated in 1966 with a degree in elementary education following Clyde who graduated a year earlier.

Clyde's first love, besides Carol, was and still is wrestling. After a successful high school career that took him to the PIAA championships, he won the Pennsylvania State Colleges Wrestling Championship for Shippensburg State Teachers College at 115 pounds in 1962.

After graduation, both Cresslers found teaching positions at Cumberland Valley School District. They remember they didn't have much money at the time but whenever they could they gave to their alma mater. Over the years, they built a successful retail/institutional pharmacy business and have continued to give back to the university through the SU Foundation in more significant ways.

In 2009, they endowed the Clyde L. Cressler Wresting Scholarship with a planned gift in the form of an insurance policy listing the SU Foundation as the owner and beneficiary. The proceeds of the insurance policy established their scholarship. Clyde and Carol have been able to meet their scholarship recipient and follow his athletic and academic endeavors giving them extra satisfaction in their dedication to support the Red Raider wrestling program. The Cresslers continue to build their endowment and it is Clyde's hope for a Division II Championship for his Red Raider wrestling program.