Faces of Philanthropy

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

The late professor and dean William B. Castetter, GR’48, is still supporting Penn GSE students and their educational changemaking thanks to a bequest he made to the School.

By Rebecca Raber

he impact of the late William B. Castetter can be felt across Penn GSE—in the numerous alumni he taught during his almost 40 years at the School, in the stable course he charted for the institution during his two stints as acting dean, in the winners of the awards given for significant service to Penn GSE in his name each year at Alumni Weekend, and in the students whose education he has made possible with his scholarship.

A decorated World War II veteran whose service included more than 500 days of combat, Castetter began his educational career as principal of Melrose High School in New Mexico, later becoming professor and dean of men at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania before joining the faculty of Penn GSE. In his research, he pioneered innovative programs for school administrators, and his widely used textbook, The Human Resource Function in Educational Administration, is regarded as a definitive work on educational HR. His students remember him as funny, warmhearted, and gifted at quantifying complicated subjects in his work.

“Dr. Castetter’s caring and competence were present at all times, and he encouraged me to broaden the scope of my education [with] studies at the Wharton School,” remembered Mark Nagy, GRD’71. “His expectations were exceeded by his kindness as a mentor to my classmates and me.”

In 2004, Castetter named the School as a beneficiary of his estate, establishing the William B. and Roberta Castetter Endowed Fellowship to support students unable to afford the cost of a Penn GSE education. (He said at the time he hoped to fund “really creative people who see what’s going on in the world and who are interested in improving education—people who are going to make a world of difference.”) And for two decades, that fund has provided full scholarships to exceptional doctoral students like J. Cameron Anglum, C’09, GED’14, GR’19.

“Fellowship funding provided the space to allow me to focus the bulk of my time at GSE on learning and maturing as a research scholar,” said Anglum, now an assistant professor in the College of Education at Lehigh University. “My direct application of classroom learning to real-world issues in educational practice and policy was only made possible through my fellowship. This included significant time devoted to research projects focused on pressing issues in Pennsylvania school funding reform and curriculum and discipline policy initiatives in Philadelphia.”

In honor of Castetter’s generous bequest, all supporters who include Penn GSE in their estate plans are recognized with membership in the William B. Castetter Circle, which includes invitations to special events throughout the year. This sort of support is known as a “planned gift,” and while there are many different ways to integrate charitable intentions for the School into estate plans—bequests, gift annuities, trusts—all of them ensure that donors’ generosity is sustained beyond their lifetime, establishing a lasting legacy of support for education.

“Planned gifts propel Penn’s mission of excellence, driving innovation and ensuring continued leadership in education,” said Marcie Merz, executive director of gift planning at the University. “With a variety of giving strategies available, you can align your philanthropic and personal goals while creating a lasting legacy.”

For Castetter, who died at age 94 in 2009, his reason for a planned gift was clear. After contributing so much to Penn GSE through his decades of service, he wanted to leave a legacy of continued support for its mission and students in perpetuity.