Local Couple Continue Tradition of Philanthropy at WKU

Providing Scholarships for ECHS Graduates

Craig and Deborah Browning at the Browning Family Reflection Pool at WKU.

Edmonson Voice Report:
A local couple is continuing their long tradition of philanthropy at WKU with a new gift to support several important priorities.

Craig Browning (’87), and his wife, Deborah, recently made a significant gift to WKU Athletics, student scholarships and Amy and David Chandler Hall, the new home of the Gordon Ford College of Business.

Though the couple originally established the Craig and Deborah Browning Family Scholarship Fund as part of their estate plans, their recent gift included a $150,000 commitment so that scholarships may begin being awarded now. The fund is designated for graduates of Edmonson County High School with a preference for students majoring in areas of study within the Gordon Ford College of Business or the College of Education & Behavioral Sciences.

“We’ve been very fortunate in life, and God has rained his blessings down on us,” Craig Browning said. “Over the past few years, we’ve realized that we have the capacity to help others now versus later. While our estate will continue to have some language benefiting WKU, we’re pleased to now be able to help as many as four students each semester with this new endowed scholarship fund.”

In addition to the family scholarship fund, the Brownings also made a $25,000 gift to the Summer Browning Rich Scholarship Fund, which is named in honor of their daughter, Summer Rich (’15, ’17), who serves as the Gifted & Talented Coordinator for the Edmonson County school system.

“A couple of years ago, an anonymous donor created a scholarship fund in honor of our daughter,” he explained. “Summer chose a career path in education and has a strong desire to help young people. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the WKU College of Education and has put them to good use impacting the youth in our community.  We are proud to have contributed to this fund and will continue to do so. We’re grateful to the anonymous donor who originated this opportunity for others.”

Avid WKU Athletics fans, the Brownings’ included additional designations to Football, Men’s Basketball, Volleyball and the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation (HAF).

“I’ve been a volunteer of WKU Athletics for several years,” said Browning, a member and Past President of the HAF Board. “Deborah and I have enjoyed taking our friends and family to games for 30+ years. Athletics is the front door to our university and a wholesome way to gather with friends and family for fun and enjoyment. The branding value created by Athletics positively impacts all the colleges within the university. A strong athletics program benefits overall student recruitment and the national reputation of the university.” 

Finally, the couple gifted to a non-endowed fund to support the facility, maintenance, upgrades and programs in the Gordon Ford College of Business. In appreciation for this gift, the Browning Family Reflection Pool at Amy and David Chandler Hall was named in their honor.

“The grand opening of Amy and David Chandler Hall is monumental,” said Browning, who is Board Chair of the GFCB Advisory Board. “Given the foresight of WKU leadership and the Kentucky State Legislature, the Gordon Ford College of Business is now positioned to positively impact our Commonwealth and countless lives for decades to come. The GFCB is preparing young people for life, and we are thrilled to be a small part of this historic occasion.”

This latest gift continues the family’s 22 years of consecutive giving to WKU.

“Simply put, we enjoy helping others,” Browning explained. “WKU is a great investment in the future of young adults and our community. As is noted in the quote affixed to the Browning Family Reflection Pool at Chandler Hall, ‘It’s more than learning—it’s preparation for life.’ We should do anything that we can reasonably do to help our youth prepare to succeed in life. It’s our obligation as good stewards of the next generation.”

In addition to his volunteerism with the HAF and the GFCB Advisory Board, Browning has served the Center for Leadership Excellence, the Kentucky Museum Advisory Council, and is a former Chairman of the WKU Foundation Board of Trustees and a volunteer Adjunct Professor for the GFCB. In 2014, he received the WKU Distinguished Service Medal and is a four-time recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award, presented at the WKU Summit Awards. He is a Lifetime Member of the WKU Alumni Association, and he and his wife have been recognized for leadership giving for their annual support, cumulative lifetime giving and legacy giving by including WKU in their estate plans.