Honoring a Heritage of Service

Charles Schaller and daughter Leslie Brueggemann

For Charles Schaller and Leslie Brueggemann, giving to the College of Lake County Foundation is a matter of fidelity to family legacy. Patricia “Patty” Schaller (1935–2012), Leslie’s mom and Charles’ wife of 28 years, served CLC for many years as coordinator of adult and continuing education. A highlight of Patty’s career was the creation of CLC’s Explore program, which introduced middle school students to college studies in age-appropriate, engaging formats.

Today, CLC’s Explore and Engage summer enrichment programs introduce hundreds of elementary and high school students each year to career opportunities unlocked by a college education, allowing young people to dream about what they might become. Research has shown us that if you put a student on a college campus before they begin high school, they are much more likely to attend college. And, if they attend college, they are much more likely to secure a career with a family-sustaining wage and remain actively engaged in community life.

Charles and Leslie shared that Patty considered the Explore program to be one of her life’s most significant achievements. Since her death in 2012, Charles, Leslie and other family members have been actively giving to Explore scholarships to make it possible for young people from low-income families to attend career summer camps at CLC. Recently, Charles arranged for a legacy gift in his estate to honor Patty’s heritage of service—a gift that will open doors to educational opportunity for hundreds of students for years to come.

The CLC Foundation is grateful for Patty’s years of generous service, and for Charles and Leslie’s generosity, which will allow her legacy to live on in the lives of Lake County’s emerging college students.

You, too, can make a gift that honors a loved one and creates opportunities for future generations of CLC students. Contact John Butler at (847) 543-2713 or jbutler3@clcillinois.edu to learn how you can create a legacy that changes lives.