Shirley Marlene Lolus ’72m instilled the importance of education in her children, both her own and those she taught in the classroom. A native of Mechanicsburg, Shirley was a young married mother of two when she started college to pursue her desire to become a teacher. After seeing her husband off to work and putting her two young children on the school bus, she was a full-time student at nearby Messiah College and then returned home to get her children off the bus. It wasn’t easy, but it worked.
At the time, Messiah College did not offer a teaching degree but had an agreement with Shippensburg State College to provide student teaching for students in Messiah’s Behavioral Science program. Shirley was just three weeks into her student teaching assignment in Northern York School District when the district offered her a job upon completion of her training.
“I was in the right place at the right time. They needed a teacher, and they liked that I was older than the typical recent college graduate.” This began her twenty-one year career in Northern York School District that spanned from teacher to principal.
Shirley went on to earn her Master of Education degree from Shippensburg, principal certification from Western Maryland, and superintendent certification from Temple University.
Now, at age eighty, Shirley has found another way to communicate the importance of education. She has given multiple gifts to establish charitable gift annuities through the Shippensburg University Foundation. “I enjoy helping Shippensburg University students whenever I can,” she said, noting that her daughter earned her bachelor’s degree from Shippensburg.
“In addition to supporting the students, with a gift annuity, I get a tax deduction when I give the gift, I get income for life at a favorable tax rate, and the income is partially tax free. It’s a multiple-win situation however you view it.”
Shirley has lived in Florida since 1990 when her husband requested a transfer to the state where both their son and daughter were doing graduate studies. Now a widow, Shirley said, “We raised two good children who are contributing to society. For me, gift annuities are a safe and excellent place for good interest and lasting benefits. I recommend Shippensburg University Foundation