Shultz passed away in March at the age of 77. She never attended Catawba, but her husband, Dr. William James “Butch” Schultz ’71, did. He served in the Army, built a business in Concord, and remained rooted in his community until he died in 2009.
Now, Shultz's estate names Catawba as one of the places where their legacy will continue.
“At Catawba, we stand in a long tradition that sees education as a calling,” said Dr. David P. Nelson, President of Catawba College. “This gift gives our students the chance to pursue that calling with imagination and purpose, and to live it out in their communities and in the world.”
Because it is unrestricted, the gift allows Catawba to meet its needs as they arise. It will support student scholarships, faculty development, academic innovation, and campus improvements — flexible resources that strengthen the College’s capacity to act boldly and respond to opportunity.
“Unrestricted gifts change what’s possible for a college,” said Meg Dees, Vice President of Development. “They remind us we’ve been entrusted with something important, and that trust shapes how we move forward.”
With her family’s blessing, Shultz's generosity is now shared publicly. For students, it is a door opened — one that leads to classrooms and labs, to stages and athletic fields, to communities near and far. The Schultz legacy will continue in the lives they build.
