Sam’s Plan

Sam Porritt '84 had a plan. He didn't want to attend a huge school and get lost in a sea of thousands of students. He wanted the personal touch of a small, liberal arts university, and he found it at Illinois Wesleyan.

As a senior, the plan took a turn. A Peoria, Illinois, native, Sam majored in accounting but decided he wanted to change course and pursue graduate school. Unexpectedly, he got the message that President Bob Eckley wanted a meeting, and it exemplified everything that IWU stands for.

"He heard my story and wanted to give me advice," Sam said. "President Eckley wanted to tell me I was right: I should pursue an MBA and broaden my business education. He encouraged me. That wouldn't happen at many schools."

Sam attended the prestigious University of Chicago for his MBA. After a few weeks, he discovered that his Ivy League classmates were no better prepared than he was.

"I was intimidated at first," Sam said. "Was I in over my head? Not in any way. I really, truly believe in the liberal arts education at IWU and what it does for you. Wesleyan teaches you how to think. When I went out into the real world, I was prepared to handle whatever was thrown at me. IWU delivered on that, and it continues to deliver today."

That guidance helped lead to a successful marketing and advertising career, but then life took another turn: A 15-foot fall left Sam paralyzed from the waist down. Thanks to a very unique insurance policy, he was able to get the physical therapy he needed to regain his mobility.

"My injury was a bit of a wakeup call. I reached a point in my life where I realized I should be thinking about the future and how to do something meaningful," he said.

He founded a non-profit organization, Falling Forward, to ensure that others with similar injuries, but without such a generous insurance policy, are able to get all the rehabilitation they need. Sam also started to think about his estate, and he made a plan.

"In some ways, going through the estate plan process is fun. You get to think about all the cool things you can do," Sam said. "The reality is that you can't do everything. We decided to focus on a few things. We wanted to make a significant impact on the things that ultimately were most important to us. That's what felt right to us."

And for Sam, who also funds two endowed scholarships at Illinois Wesleyan, the impact and appreciation for his generosity can be felt at each year's scholarship benefactor dinner.

"The first student I met - she blew me away," Sam said. "I was amazed by her ambition and vision for her future, and how the Wesleyan education was critical to that. It was a jaw-dropping moment. I realized that my gift was helping make her education and her dreams possible. What could be more meaningful than that?"