Glenn Osterhout is putting another major bet on Washington State University.
The 1982 WSU graduate has committed a $6.5 million gift to the university through his estate plans, along with at least $200,000 a year for three years to support Cougar athletics. That annual commitment will go to the tax-deductible Cougar Athletic Fund for scholarships and the tax-deductible Football Excellence Fund for institutional revenue sharing.
“WSU changed my life as it has for so many of us fortunate enough to have that experience,” Osterhout said in the school’s announcement. “With these gifts my hope is to inspire others to develop or review their will and include WSU in that process along with annual giving to WSU in your area of interest.”
Osterhout, who lives in Bellevue and attended Inglemoor High in Kenmore, said his background as a certified financial planner shaped the message behind the gift. Over 30 years in that field, he watched people put off estate planning and leave both family and charitable goals unresolved.
“If you don't have a will, you're creating an absolute nightmare for those you love in life because your assets and property can end up in probate for years,” said Osterhout. “From there the state will decide who receives your assets and property, and those you intended to receive it could end up with nothing.”
He said people should revisit their wills every three to five years as circumstances change. “In this process, please consider WSU as a beneficiary as I have,” he adds, pointing to the cougsfirst.org business network as a place to find trusted Cougs in financial planning, estate planning and accounting.
The money in his estate will be split among four endowed funds he has created: the Cougar Athletic Fund, the Elson Floyd College of Medicine, the Carson College of Business Fund, and the Football Excellence Fund.
“I not only want to help young men and women get a world-class education and have the same great college experience I had, but I want WSU, which is making a difference in so many areas of our lives, to continue delivering on its land grant mission of providing practical solutions to real world problems,” he said. “By gifting to WSU, the university receives the full value of the assets and avoids taxes in the process-it's a win-win.”
He also said he hopes the announcement will “inspire others to develop or review their wills and include WSU in that process along with annual giving to WSU in your area of interest.”
Osterhout’s ties to WSU run deep. He has served on multiple athletics committees, sat on the WSU Foundation Board of Directors, co-founded CougsFirst!, and is currently helping the WSU Office of Corporate Engagement build WSU Corporate Cougs.
He has also donated over the years to Cougar athletics, the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and the Carson College of Business.
Among his previous gifts, he funded the recruiting suite in the Cougar Football Complex named for Steve Gleason and the Gray W Lounge in the complex named for Jack Thompson.
WSU said those interested in including the university in estate plans through a will, living trust or beneficiary designation can contact Theresa Boyer, senior director of gift planning, at 509-358-7584 or theresa.boyer@wsu.edu.
Questions about the Cougar Athletic Fund for scholarships or the Excellence Funds for revenue sharing can be directed to Tyler Mariucci at 509-335-0220 or tyler.mariucci@wsu.edu.
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