Giving Back Creates Wonderful Opportunities For Others

Jim Borthwick ’61 believes in returning the favor when it comes to scholarships for Central College students. He was one of the early Rolscreen Scholars, receiving a full tuition scholarship for four years. In return, Borthwick and his wife, Sharon, have designated Central College in their revocable trust.

“My first semester at Central was one of the most exciting times in my life. I had grown up on a farm in rural Iowa. There were limited courses to choose from in my high school education. Suddenly I was at Central and it just seemed like the whole world of knowledge opened up to me,” Borthwick says.

He went on to earn a law degree from the University of Michigan and from there he moved to Kansas City where he practiced law his entire adult life.

Borthwick explains that in Kansas City, few people have heard of Central College. But most people have heard of Pella Corporation.

“I always say Pella Windows put me through school. I was a Rolscreen Scholar which paid for everything — room, board and tuition. When I rewrote my revocable trust, I wanted to return the favor and give back to Central,” he says.

Borthwick notes that he had been thinking about how to give back to Central for a long time. There wasn’t any legal or technical reason for a bequest versus annual giving. However, he realized he could make a more significant contribution by a gift through his estate.

He has supported Central through service as well as financially. Over the years, he has been involved with fundraising campaign committees and alumni gatherings.

“We would have Central gatherings here in Kansas City and the Kansas City area. We helped organize and host those,” Borthwick says. “We had our class reunions, too. A couple of times we were the lead ‘cheerleaders’ in getting everybody back. For our 25th reunion, I was chair of the committee. I was involved almost every year for a while,” he says.

Borthwick volunteered his time because he felt that Central offered him a wonderful start in life, to know the world and see what it was all about.

“I was, and still am, amazed at the quality of the professors that I had at Central. And Central is where I met lifelong friends that are the best friends I’ve ever had. I always appreciate my Central experience. We met students from all over the country because so many students at that time came from RCA churches across the United States. We had students from almost every state. To me it was amazing to have all of them coming to Central,” Borthwick remembers.

“I was able to participate in everything. I was in track my first year, musicals and plays, student government. I even became the student body president. These team members and groups became like family. Central is a wonderful place to begin to learn and launch myself in the world. I have never regretted it,” Borthwick states.

Including Central College in your estate plans is a testament to the values and ideals you hold dear — having a heart for others — and is one of the most meaningful ways to support generations of students. To create your own legacy at Central, contact Deb Calderwood at 641-628-5138 or calderwoodd@central.edu to get started.