The Frank and Isabel Pixley Society

Recognizing Faculty and Staff Philanthropy to The University of Akron

Students

The Frank and Isabel Pixley Society is a recognition club for University of Akron employees. Members are full- or part-time employees – past or present – who have contributed $50,000 or more to the University in current or deferred gifts.

Membership in the Frank and Isabel Pixley Society includes the following benefits:

  • The employee’s name on UA’s Honor Roll of Donors
  • Automatic enrollment in UA’s Society for Tomorrow when any portion of the employee’s gift is deferred
  • The satisfaction of helping students succeed – in perpetuity

How to join

To be eligible for the Frank and Isabel Pixley Society, employees may donate toward any scholarship, program, campaign, or initiative at The University of Akron. In fact, employees also may choose to establish their own namedscholarship, which can assist students in a specific major while honoring or memorializing a loved one. 

Current and retired faculty, staff, contract professionals, and administrators – whether full-time or part-time employees – are invited to join the Frank and Isabel Pixley Society. Gifts can be made through outright or deferred contributions, or a combination of both. Outright gifts may be pledged, and payroll deduction is available. To learn more, please contact Claudia Kaeberlein, Director of Development, at 330-972-8508 or claudiak@uakron.edu.   

 

Why we give

Tom and Diane Vukovich"It is so important for us to give back to The University of Akron, which afforded us an opportunity. As the children of steel workers, we were the first in our families to graduate from college, and we know, personally, the difference higher education can make in someone’s life. Today, we are proud and happy to pay it forward.”

Diane Vukovich ’75, Director (retired), Developmental Programs
Tom Vukovich, Assistant Provost (retired), Student and Enrollment Services

“The University of Akron has provided me with the opportunity to grow professionally as a marriage and family therapist – and challenged the way I live my life. Through my gifts, I hope to give others the opportunity to grow by lessening the financial burden of an education.”

Alise Bartley ’05, Adjunct Professor, Department of Counseling

The Pixley story

Frank PixleyDr. Frank S. Pixley was an 1890 graduate of Buchtel College, the forerunner of The University of Akron. Like many students, Dr. Pixley was hard-pressed to afford his education, but he was the fortunate recipient of a scholarship from none other than John R. Buchtel, founder of Buchtel College.

Dr. Pixley joined the College’s faculty after graduation – and never forgot the kindness and generosity shown to him. Indeed, he began to give small sums of money to students when he could.

Dr. Pixley went on to become a successful journalist, serving as editor of the Chicago Times from 1899 to 1902. He also wrote several plays, the most successful of which was “The Prince of Pilsen.”

Dr. Pixley, who was married to the former Isabel MacRoy, died in 1919. When Isabel died in 1929, she left a bequest of $50,000 to Buchtel College in honor of her husband. It was the largest bequest the College had ever received and created the first scholarship fund named for a former faculty member: The Frank and Isabel Pixley Memorial Fund.

Since 1930, the gift from Dr. and Mrs. Pixley has been providing assistance to University of Akron students who possess outstanding ability and promise in music, literature, or speech.

The gift also inspired the creation of the Frank and Isabel Pixley Society, which recognizes employees — like Frank and Isabel — who donate more than $50,000 to the University.

    

FRANK AND ISABEL PIXLEY SOCIETY MEMBERS

Thank you to the following employees who have given generously to The University of Akron so that students may succeed:

  • Drs. Glenn and Mary Ellen Atwood
  • Dr. and Mrs. Norman Paul Auburn
  • Drs. Mark S. and Sandy K. Auburn
  • Mr. and Mrs. Fred J. Badger
  • Mrs. Beverly W. Barker
  • Dr. and Mrs. H. Kenneth Barker
  • Mr. and Mrs. James W. Barnett
  • Dr. Alise and Mr. David W. Bartley II
  • Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth W. Beach
  • Mr. and Mrs. William C. Becker
  • Mr. and Mrs. Frank P. Bevilacqua
  • Dr. and Mrs. William H. Beyer
  • Dr. and Mrs. Chun-Fu Chen
  • Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Z. D. Cheng
  • Dr. Paul A. Daum
  • Mr. Edward M. Engler
  • Mrs. Jacqueline Farrell
  • Ms. Pauline Franks
  • Dr. and Mrs. Robert N. Gandee
  • Dr. Don R. Gerlach
  • Dr. Kristine and Mr. Richard Gill
  • Dr. Dominic James Guzzetta
  • Dr. and Mrs. Richard L. Hansford
  • Mr. Richard B. Hite
  • Mr. and Mrs. James H. Hower
  • Drs. Chaman and Sheila Kashkari
  • Dr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy
  • Drs. James T. and Gay C. Kitson
  • Mr. and Mrs. Lee A. Koosed
  • Mr. and Mrs. John A. LaGuardia
  • Dr. and Mrs. Richard S. LeFevre
  • Dr. Nada Ledinko
  • Dr. L. Walter Macior
  • Mr. and Mrs. Ted A. Mallo
  • Mr. and Mrs. William G. Maltarich Jr.
  • Dr. Carolyn and Mr. Donald Mehl
  • Dr. Lynn and Mr. Edward J. Metzger
  • Drs. Dale H. and Karla T. Mugler
  • Dr. Kenneth J. Myers
  • Mr. and Mrs. Stephen E. Myers
  • Dr. and Mrs. Henry Nettling
  • Drs. Glen O. and Nina M. Njus
  • Mr. and Mrs. William M. Oldham
  • Mr. James A. Pahlau
  • Ms. Caroline J. Pardee
  • Dr. John S. Phillipson
  • Dr. and Mrs. Frank Pixley
  • Dr. Marvin S. Platt
  • Dr. Velma E. Pomrenke
  • Dr. and Mrs. Luis M. Proenza
  • Dr. Mary C. Rainey
  • Drs. Nicholas Ranson and Penny Ryan-Ranson
  • Dr. and Mrs. Alvin M. Richards Jr.
  • Dr. Walter A. Sheppe
  • Ms. Mary V. Slusher
  • Dr. and Mrs. Dean E. Smith
  • Richard L. Smith
  • Mr. and Mrs. Williams J. Stevens
  • Mr. Andrew Takas
  • Mr. and Mrs. O. D. Taliaferro
  • Drs. Thomas J. and Diane Vukovich
  • Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt M. Wells
  • The Honorable and Mrs. Harold F. White
  • Dr. James L. White and Mrs. Alganesh Tekeste-White
  • Mr. and Mrs. Louis R. Wilson III
  • Mr. Henry C. Young Jr.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Willis S. Zeigler Jr.