Below is a transcript of our conversation with Renee Parsons, CMU graduate and co-founder of the Bob and Reness Parsons Foundation
David Nicholas:
I'm David Nicholas, and this is Central Focus, a weekly look at research activity and innovative work from Central Michigan University's students and faculty.
Many graduates show their loyalty by giving back. Renee Parsons is a CMU graduate, born and raised in Mount Pleasant. Her passion for philanthropy married the same in her husband, Bob. Together, they founded the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation in 2012.
This fall, their $350,000 gift will launch Empower Her Leadership at CMU, designed to guide and mentor female student athletes. Renee spoke with me from her home in Scottsdale, Arizona to tell me more…
Renee Parsons:
It's a one-year program to cultivate confidence in these young women, resilience, leadership, capacity, and career readiness. So, I know how important these things, these items are and these values really have been in my life, personally and professionally. And so, we wanted to create a program that took that into consideration with females in mind and female athletes in mind and what could really help equip them with the helpful skills and networks and even opportunities. to help thrive, really, academically, professionally, and in their communities. And so that was really how this all came together. And it was a beautiful sort of process. And I'm really excited to see how it progresses and how this first year goes.
DN:
And they are planning an official launch in the fall of 26 and starting out with 10 female student athletes. They're hoping to grow the program. And so, is this designed, the gift that came from you and your husband through the foundation to create some endowment foundation to continue to grow this? What are the plans to potentially move this into the future and hopefully continue it at Central Michigan University?
RP:
For it to start, and of course, it's like we walk before we run. So, we'll be keeping an eye on it, the first year, and then we'll be upwards of five years, three to five years is the current plan for this particular grant. But basically, this would be, we'd be watching this, hoping to serve, over 85 women, cumulatively over the next five years. We may want to tweak, develop, change according to anything we may learn. And then we can look at the model for going forward longer than that five-year term.
DN:
And at this point, in any discussions, are there perhaps some things, at least in the discussion phase, about other initiatives or programs that could attract the attention of the foundation, whether it be at CMU or in general in the mid-Michigan area where you call home.
RP:
Yes, I mean, there's certainly discussions going on, and that's kind of how we approach it with any newer, because this is a relatively newer relationship between our foundation and CMU to sort of launch with something, right, that we both feel comfortable with and that we can be successful. And then watch that, how that progresses, how successful it is, how it grows, and then consider future gifts based on the initial success we have to start. And that's pretty much the model that's proven to be successful for us since we've started the foundation.
DN:
But it all gets its start. And as you said, we'll lead into the baby steps and the growth from there, the initial $350,000 grant from the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation. And it's a benefit specifically targeted to female student athletes at CMU. On behalf of our corner of, and really the greater CMU community, thanks so much to you and your husband, Bob Parsons, for the generosity to the university. And to you directly. Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us today. We appreciate it.
RP:
My pleasure. Yes, great to connect with you, David. I really appreciate your time and the interest and focus on the grant. And we look forward to many more opportunities in the future. So, thank you so much!
