On Wednesday, February 24, alumni David and Kathy Kowalka Schumaker took a two-hour road trip from the Akron/Canton area to bring a pickup truck full of non-perishable food and goods to the Cap Cupboard, a food resource center for Capital students.
David and Kathy graduated from Capital in 1971 and 1972, respectively, and have had multiple family members graduate from Capital in the years before and after they attended. They chose to receive a college education at Capital because they grew up with a strong relationship to the Lutheran religion, which made Capital the perfect choice. Both were heavily involved in campus activities during their time at Capital and a large part of that was participation in Greek life. David was a member of Alpha Phi Omega, which is a current fraternity at Capital.
David went to The Ohio State University’s medical school after graduating from Capital, while Kathy majored in education and became an elementary school teacher. Kathy emphasized that the hands-on learning she experienced in her classes at Capital strongly prepared her for her career after graduation.
According to the Schumakers, their parents were very encouraging of giving back to the community and taking care of those in need. The personal growth and development that they experienced being away at Capital allowed these values to be further instilled into their life, so giving back to others is something they wanted to continue to do in their future. Prior to their generous donation to the Cap Cupboard, David and Kathy had their hometown Lutheran church organize a food drive with the goal of bringing even more food. They thought it would be beneficial to donate to the Cupboard because they knew Capital students would benefit from the donation. They have also previously donated to other organizations and universities, such as Malone University, and plan on donating to others in the future.
Their recent trip to Columbus brought a “truckload” of different goods to the Cupboard, consisting of at least a dozen full boxes. They plan to come back in the fall and donate even more goods, and have encouraged others around them to bring in food and make donations as well. Capital students will benefit from their kindness in many different ways, and the generosity of the Schumakers and other alumni is deeply appreciated by Capital students and staff.
Both David and Kathy have many fond memories at Capital, which is why they continue to come back and give to our community. They look forward to visiting the campus again and reliving all the wonderful times they experienced on this campus.
In talking with the Schumakers, it is obvious that Capital had inspired them to be such giving people and had an everlasting effect on their generosity. This is something Capital continues to encourage in their students and hopes to see more of in the future. The Capital Family is very appreciative of alumni who choose to give back to current students and still actively participate with the University community, even decades after graduating.
For information on how you can donate to the Cap Cupboard, or how a student with food insecurity can receive help, email capcupboard@capital.edu or go to www.capital.edu/capcupboard.