Roberta Yoder and her husband, Reg, with Tanzania scholarship students Anjela and Tiniel

A Knack for Giving Back

Giving back is nothing new for Roberta Yoder B.A. '71 English. Her penchant for philanthropy became evident while a student at the University of Northern Iowa.

"I was a member of an honorary service fraternity that sponsored used-book exchanges," Roberta says. "Soon after graduation, I donated to the campaign to build the UNI-Dome and joined the Alumni Association."

Roberta has been a loyal supporter ever since. While an employee of Principal Financial Group in Des Moines, Iowa, she took advantage of its matching gift program, doubling her contributions to UNI. She continues use of the program as the spouse of a Principal retiree.

She recently named UNI as a beneficiary to a life insurance policy. Roberta explains, "This is the first step in launching my plan to provide scholarships for UNI English majors. In addition to the life insurance policy, I hope to fund scholarships during my lifetime so I can meet the students I'm helping."

Not only is Roberta supporting UNI students, she's touching lives across the globe by providing scholarships for girls in Tanzania to attend school. "The education component of this is important to me," Roberta says.

"I had wonderful professors at UNI. They were thought-provoking and I learned a lot. During my career, I've used my English degree to help others. At Principal, I was a contract writer. At the counseling center where I work, I help clients write resumes. Now I'm enrolled in a UNI master's program: philanthropy and nonprofit management. I want to ‘pay it back' in appreciation for the education I received at UNI."

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