Ashland University President
Dr. Carlos Campo has announced the continuing receipt of the largest bequest in the University's history – a high seven-figure gift established as the Gay Whieldon Women's Athletic Scholarship Fund.
The scholarship fund will provide much-needed scholarships for female student-athletes who participate in AU interscholastic sports. This gift changes the face of "Accent on the Individual" for women's sports at Ashland.
"One of the things that Gay did was she started investing in Ashland University, unbeknownst to all of us," Campo said. "She had already made plans in her estate that when she passed, she was going to bless our women's athletics programs. What Gay has done is she has created an endowment that is very specific – it will only be for women's athletics scholarships."
""When I was told about this gift, I was speechless," said
Al King, Ashland Director of Athletics. "I'm still astounded by it. It's unheard of and it's going to present a wide number of opportunities for our female student-athletes. It's going to help take us to a level in several sports we've only dreamed about.
"Gay obviously understood the importance of scholarships and what this could mean for our department. She was a pioneer for this university and women's athletics and the love she had for Ashland is demonstrated here. What an incredible statement."
Ashland recently received the first distributions of the gift, a total of $2 million.
Whieldon was a 1966 and 1983 graduate of Ashland College. In 1966, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in Health Education and Physical Education, and in 1983, a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.
She was the Assistant Professor in Physical Education at Ashland College from 1976-82. Whieldon spent a majority of her career teaching physical education and coaching women's college sports, including swimming, soccer, and field hockey. As the Eagles' head women's field hockey coach from 1977-80, she led the team to the second round of state tournament play in 1979.
In 1977-78, Whieldon, while serving as the first woman at AC to have the published title of Associate Athletic Director, was the tournament director for the Ohio Association Intercollegiate Sports for Women (OAISW) State Basketball Tournament at Kates Gymnasium.
Whieldon overcame social barriers and was appointed the Athletic Director at Castleton State College in Castleton, Vt.. She selflessly gave up her promising career to care for her elderly mother, who passed away in 2013.
She also was a Fulbright Scholar Award Recipient.
Ashland University did not know about her intentions, because she was a very private person, and only found out after her death in 2023 at age 78. Her exact reasons for this transformational gift may never be known, but it is assumed that Whieldon loved her time at Ashland College, as a student and later as a faculty member. She too must have felt the impact of "Accent on the Individual."
Whieldon was single and never had children of her own. Now, Ashland University women's athletes and the future scholarship recipients are part of her legacy. This generous gift will change the landscape for future women's athletic teams at Ashland.
