Attending UNI Opens Up Whole New World to Appreciate Alum
President Mark A. Nook and David Van Sickel, ’74
David Van Sickel, ’74, always knew he was going to attend college after high school. In fact, his parents never suggested there were other options.
“There was never any question about it,” David remembers with a chuckle. “It was something that was understood from the day I was born.”
While David’s parents never attended a university, education was revered in the Van Sickel household. His mother and father were avid readers and had great respect for teachers and teaching institutions. David says their values helped develop his own appreciation for the power of education.
Growing up in Sheffield, Iowa, a small community 25 minutes south of Mason City, David seriously considered just one college: the University of Northern Iowa. His two older brothers had both graduated from UNI and eventually all four Van Sickel boys would become alumni.
David studied history at UNI before earning his law degree from the University of Iowa. It was on campus in Cedar Falls where professors in the history department opened a small-town Iowa kid’s world to other cultures and new ways of thinking.
“I would say, while UNI did a really great job of preparing me to go to law school, it did an even better job of preparing me for life,” David explained. “And I think that is more important.”
Beaming, David reflected on the importance of faculty such as William Lang, a professor of history who taught and held administrative roles at UNI for nearly three decades and for whom Lang Hall is named. Drs. Sunseri and Eiklor, also history department faculty, challenged their students to develop and refine their own points of view, to think critically and to ponder “the big questions,” David said.
“It’s been 50 years, and I still get a kick out of just thinking about some of the classes and discussions I had with all three of them,” David said, laughing.
While he never studied abroad while attending UNI, world travel has become one of David’s sincerest passions. Soon to retire after 45 years in public finance law, he plans to spend much of his time in Europe.
David has directed his philanthropy toward student international travel experiences, in addition to other support for students. He has given to the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Dean’s Fund to be directed toward study abroad scholarships and has served on the college’s advisory board for a decade.
He intends to use a variety of planned giving options to grow his impact at UNI, including making a tax-free contribution through an IRA charitable rollover.
“Most of my savings is in either a 401(k) or an IRA and you are taxed when you withdraw it. But once you’re 70½, you can roll it over tax-free,” David said, referring to a process known as a qualified charitable distribution. “So I made a commitment to do that in two years when I’m 70½.”
David has also made plans to include the UNI Foundation in his will. He hopes his legacy gift will reinforce the value of education for future students and citizens, as well as repay the university that has given him so much.
“Attending UNI was—for a kid from a small town with no experience and no background—it was just life changing,” David said. “And I’ve never forgotten the importance of that, and really just how indebted I am to UNI for providing that experience.”
Like David, you, too, can make a huge difference in a UNI student’s life. Contact Jane Halverson at (319) 273-4665 or jane.halverson@uni.edu to learn more.