Jack and Cathy Ayers grew up in giving households.
But the one title he takes particular pride in is that of donor.
“Both of our families gave to the church and to our elementary schools for school fundraisers, but neither of our parents had gone beyond high school,” Cathy said. “We knew that a college education was something that both of our parents wanted us to be able to have. We were first-generation, and from that, we know how much giving back to the University can make a difference.”
Jack, a 1975 UA Culverhouse College of Business alumnus, and Cathy, a two-time alumnus of the College of Arts and Sciences, met at church as teenagers.
The couple married after graduation and soon began looking for opportunities to give back to their alma mater.
“We realized how much a first-generation college education meant, so we began donating to the Alumni Association. As we settled into work life, we began to see there were other aspects of the campus we could fund and donate to.”
In 2020, the Ayers funded a gift in the College of Communication and Information Sciences to honor two of Cathy’s former professors, Drs. Annette Shelby and E. Culpepper Clark.
“Those were two of the most influential people in my life,” Cathy said. “Those two people helped change me. They helped me mature, they helped me grow up. They helped me change from being a student taking classes to becoming a scholar and seeing education as a way to make a difference in the world.”
The couple has also planned a gift in the form of a living trust that will benefit the Culverhouse College of Business, the College of Communication and Information Sciences, the Million Dollar Band and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
“Cathy and Jack Ayers were an integral part of the success of the National Alumni Association’s Chicago chapter,” said Calvin Brown, director of Alumni Affairs and associate vice president for University Advancement. “Jack served as vice president from 2014–2016 and president of the chapter from 2016–2018. Both Cathy and Jack worked tirelessly to make the Chicago chapter one of our most successful out-of-state chapters. Since moving back to Alabama, they have continued to be active members of the National Alumni Association and very involved in the life of The University of Alabama.”
“There is no joy like making a positive difference in someone’s life,” Cathy said. “Even if you start small, it doesn’t matter as long as you start. You can make a difference.”
