Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio, holds a deeply personal place in my life because it represents the values that shaped me: education, community, remembrance, and opportunity. My connection to Heidelberg is not only about the campus itself, but about the people, experiences, and lessons that continue to influence how I see the world and the responsibilities we carry toward others.

One of the most meaningful ways I have tried to honor that connection is through the Lichtman-Behm Genocide Lecture Series endowment. I created this endowment in memory of Don Behm and Jim Lichtman-two individuals whose lives and perspectives helped shape my understanding of history, humanity, and moral responsibility. Their commitment to remembering the past and confronting the realities of genocide made a lasting impression on me. Establishing a lecture series in their names ensures that Heidelberg students and students from the local middle and high schools will continue to learn about the consequences of hatred, prejudice, bullying, and indifference. It also encourages the kind of thoughtful dialogue that universities should foster-conversations that challenge us to remember history and to stand against injustice wherever it appears.

Education is not only about understanding the past; it is also about opening doors for the future. That belief led me to create a scholarship endowment in memory of my father, Richard Hallstead, D.D.S. My father believed deeply in hard work, perseverance, the power of education to change lives, and Service Above Self. By establishing a scholarship in his name, I hope to extend those values to students who may need support to complete their education. I structured the scholarship to support a student for all of their time at Heidelberg, recognizing that the journey through college is not just a single moment of achievement but a sustained commitment. Many students grow the most during their college years, and a scholarship that stays with them throughout that time can provide both stability and encouragement.

Together, these endowments reflect what Heidelberg means to me. They honor the memory of people who influenced my life, preserve important conversations about history and humanity, and invest in the success of future students. In doing so, they help ensure that Heidelberg University continues to be a place where learning is connected to purpose, memory leads to responsibility, and opportunity is extended to the next generation.