Paul and Eva Vaughn Establish Scholarshipin Gratitude for Their EKU “Second Family”

Photo of Paul and Eva Vaughn

Paul and Eva Vaughn had both already graduated from Eastern Kentucky University when they went on their first date—to a Colonels basketball game. Three months later they were married, and this year marks 58 years. The unique combination of the educations they received, the sports they love and the friendships they made is the reason they have been lifelong supporters of their alma mater—including creating a scholarship that was partially funded with appreciated stock.

“It was a feeling of home, a place you belonged,” Eva says of EKU.

The Paul and Eva Vaughn Commitment to Excellence Endowed Scholarship Fund is for students from the Lawrenceburg area, where Paul grew up and where the Vaughns now live about 50 miles northwest of the university. Funding gifts with appreciated stock provides a double tax benefit: an income-tax deduction at the time of the gift, plus avoidance of capital-gain tax on the stock’s appreciation.

Paul and Eva spoke extensively of their love for EKU in a 2009 video interview for EKU’s Then & Now program and also in an interview for the EKU Magazine in 2016.

Paul Vaughn Jr. ’60 says he was drawn to the university because of the strong business program, because his grandfather attended the precursor of EKU (then known as Central University) and because his father was friends with the late Paul S. McBrayer—the Colonels revered basketball coach from 1946 to 1962.

“I wanted to go into business; I checked out the professors, and they were excellent accounting teachers,” recalls Paul, who began working part-time at the Lawrenceburg National Bank during high school—and stayed for 50 years, retiring as executive vice president.

Eva Kidwell Vaughn ’59, an elementary school teacher in Lawrenceburg for 32 years, also chose EKU for academics and because of a family connection.

“My sister went to Eastern, and I would come over and visit her; I thought I was hot stuff being in grade school and getting to come to campus,” Eva says. “And Eastern prepared me for what I wanted to do in life; I loved every day that I taught.”

She also fell in love with football after her sister took her to her very first game—featuring a quarterback named Roy Kidd who went on to be a Hall of Fame coach for the Colonels for almost 40 years. The Vaughns attend virtually every football game, home and away; Paul has a streak of more than 400 games in a row that dates back to the early ’80s. They are avid supporters of athletics: both are charter members of the Colonel Club; Coach Kidd made Paul an honorary member of the Worn Cleat Club; and Coach McBrayer made both Eva and Paul honorary members of the McBrayer Family.

They are also avid supporters of the alumni association, helping to organize an EKU alumni chapter for Anderson and Franklin counties known as the Capital Area Chapter. Paul served as president of the chapter several times as well as treasurer. Eva was president of the EKU International Alumni Association from 1999 to 2000.

The family connection has continued as well; their son, Paul Thomas Vaughn, graduated in 1985.

“It was and is your second family,” Eva says of EKU, citing the friendships they made and the caring approach of the faculty and staff. As an example, she tells the story of becoming distracted during an exam in a World Civilization class with Dr. Clyde Lewis.

“The bell rang and I had not written a word in my blue book,” she says. “And I thought, I have failed the course! And Dr. Lewis came over and whispered to me, ‘If you will show up at my office, I’ll give you your final test.’

“Both Paul and I have such a great love for Eastern. It’s just part of our lives.”

Back

© Pentera, Inc. Planned giving content. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer