Donor Spotlight: Jan and Bill Gehler
Jan Gehler and her husband, Bill, are donors to UAA鈥檚 Friends of the Arts and especially enjoy Music Department performances. Jan is active in the Anchorage community and has a long history at UAA as a professor and administrator, having served as Dean of the Community and Technical College (CTC) and Interim Provost. She later served as President of Scottsdale Community College in Arizona for over ten years. While in Arizona, the Gehlers created an emergency fund to support students who were one financial setback away from having to choose between life鈥檚 basic necessities and staying in school. After retiring from her position in Scottsdale, Jan moved back to Anchorage to be closer to family. Jan and Bill have endowed an emergency fund here at UAA, much like the one they established in Scottsdale. In addition to their support for the Arts and the emergency fund, they also support CTC and UAA athletics. We sat down with Jan to talk about her and her husband鈥檚 desire to 鈥済ive back鈥� to the university.
You recently moved back to Anchorage and have gotten involved on campus both through advocacy and volunteerism, but also through philanthropy. Can you talk a little bit about how you give back?
鈥淥ne of my proudest efforts on campus is the Gehler Family Student Emergency Fund. We recently endowed that fund to support students facing emergencies that might force them to drop out of school. It鈥檚 important to me that students have access to immediate assistance, beyond just scholarships, to help meet their needs. I also enjoy supporting many of the events I didn鈥檛 have time to attend while I was working at UAA. Some of these include CAS events like music recitals and the new CAS Community Lecture Series.鈥�
Why do you think it's valuable to support the Arts at UAA?
鈥淢y connection to the arts has always been strong. I grew up listening to jazz records with my dad at home and almost everyone in my family played a musical instrument. While I don鈥檛 play as much as I used to, I still enjoy live music. I鈥檝e always felt the power of the arts. I believe the arts at UAA deserve support because they offer both cultural enrichment and personal growth opportunities for students. My support of the Friends of the Arts stems from the understanding that the arts are not just entertainment鈥攖hey鈥檙e transformative. Supporting the arts ensures that students have the resources and opportunities to develop their creative and professional skills. From an academic standpoint, we know that participation in any of the arts builds community and engagement, whether that student is majoring in art or not. Engaged students do better academically, persist longer, and tend to follow those passions as lifelong learners and participants. The arts and artists help enrich our community.鈥�
Why did you join the Friends of the Arts program?
鈥淚 joined the Friends of the Arts at the invitation of Heather Flynn, a dear friend, and out of my respect for Grant Cochran (Music Department Chair). Heather and I go way back, and when she introduced me to the program, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn鈥檛 pass up. The program resonated with me because it aligns with my long-standing belief in the importance of community engagement and supporting the arts. It's a way for me to visibly show my support for the Arts at UAA and to ensure that students continue to have access to the rich cultural experiences our university offers.鈥�
Why do you still give back to UAA after being a faculty member and Dean?
鈥淚鈥檝e been fortunate enough to have had a long and fulfilling career in higher education, and now I give back because it feels like part of my duty and my passion. When I was at UAA, I saw the impact of both small and large contributions, whether in the form of scholarships or faculty development. These efforts were always motivated by a desire to enhance the educational experience for students. I continue to give back because I believe in UAA鈥檚 mission, and I want to make sure the next generation of students, including our non-traditional students and those facing financial hardships, have the support they need to succeed and to complete their education. My work with the Gehler Family Student Emergency Fund and other initiatives is an extension of that commitment.鈥�
Jan, thank you for your commitment to UAA and the Friends of the Arts.
To learn more about Friends of the Arts and become a member, please visit our website or go straight to our and become a member now!