Regina and Dennis Stover

After being married for less than a month, Regina (KGSB ’81) and Dennis (KGSB ’78) Stover decided the best path for Dennis’ career was to earn an MBA. The idea raised an important question: how could they pay for graduate school with only $3,000 in their checking account—their entire life’s savings?

Fortunately, a letter came from the University of Pittsburgh offering Dennis a scholarship.

“We were dancing because the scholarship was so important to us,” said Dennis. “It still motivates us today as we give back our time, talent, and treasure to the University.”

Regina matriculated at Pitt a few years later using a tuition reimbursement program at her employer, Mellon Bank.

Now that they are retired, the Stovers are doing the things that matter most to them: volunteering, traveling, and being philanthropic.

“The scholarship Dennis received alleviated our concern about how we were going to pay for his schooling, and we knew that somebody had given their money to the University to fund it,” said Regina. “We always kept that in mind.”

The couple has two named scholarships, one for students in the Katz Graduate School of Business and one in the College of General Studies (CGS). They support several athletics funds as well.

“We want to make sure what we have done in our lives continues after we are gone,” said Regina. “So, we decided to bequeath our estate to entities we have supported throughout our lives including the University of Pittsburgh. At Pitt, we know the money will be well used, well spent, and well safeguarded.”