Providing Opportunities for Montgomery College Students

In April 2007, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi extended remarks about her dear friends, the late Sam and Lucy Keker on the occasion of their 90th birthdays: "What I have always admired about Sam and Lucy is their indomitable spirit and youthfulness. They inspire us all with their never-flagging interest in life, especially in young people."

Sam and Lucy underscored their interest in young people through a $50,000 bequest to the Montgomery College Foundation that established the Sam and Lucy Keker Endowed Scholarship. Former residents of Bethesda, MD, the Kekers were strong believers in education as the key to success, and their endowed scholarship will make higher education possible for many Montgomery College students for years to come. "Giving allows one to escape from the self-centeredness we are all built with. It is a freedom of sorts to do something for which there is no personal or family return," Sam said.

The couples' ties to Montgomery College originated with Lucy, who served as a Montgomery College trustee from 1960 to 1968, when the Montgomery County Board of Education governed both Montgomery College and the public school system. Sam retired in 1984 as the chairman and CEO of U.S. News & World Report after a 38-year career. Both felt that their gift to Montgomery College students was a way to give back and help future generations reap the lifelong benefits of a solid education.