CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Campbellsville University celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Conover Education Center in Harrodsburg, Ky. In honor of this historic landmark, CU received a generous $2 Million gift from a family deeply rooted in clinical well-being and Kentucky.
On Saturday, Oct 24, the 10th Anniversary celebration in Harrodsburg kicked off with students, faculty, family, and friends gathering to mark the past decade of educational opportunities Campbellsville University has offered. The afternoon brought a ceremony in which Doug and Charlotte Scudder presented their $2 million gift to support additional health initiatives in the area.
The Scudders’ story began long before their move to Harrodsburg, and their motives and values were shaped over several years.
Charlotte grew up in North Carolina and moved to Alaska in 1993, where she met her now husband, Doug, who was originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In 2019, they moved to Tennessee. They had plans to settle in Virginia the following year, but, like many at the time, their lives took a major turn.
During a family visit in Kentucky, Doug and Charlotte saw the news that much of the United States was shutting down due to COVID-19. What was supposed to be a short visit turned into a six-week vacation on her sister’s farm. “Kentucky was not on our radar, but we are really happy and love it here,” said Doug. The Scudders officially made the move in March 2020.
The field of medicine and medical research delves far into the Scudder family, as Charlotte’s grandfather, J. Deryl Hart, was the president of Duke University and a founder of the Duke Medical School. Charlotte’s father was also a medical doctor. But it was Charlotte’s mother and step-father, and Doug’s mother and father who set the example of lifelong philanthropy and community service. Now the legacy is being carried forward by Doug and Charlotte through the generosity of servanthood and care for the community.
Family lineage was not the only motivation for the Scudders. When Charlotte was 18, a freshman in college, she survived a serious car accident that would place her in intensive hospital care for almost three months. After much care and 1000 stitches, Charlotte was then moved to a rehabilitation hospital where she started the strenuous process of physical therapy, speech therapy, and slowly getting all her memory back.
“I was helped by so many people, medical professionals, and fellow students at the time,” said Charlotte. Many of her classmates’ parents were the very doctors who cared for and watched over her as she recovered. This tight-knit community of health care providers began to motivate Charlotte in her own personal pursuit to make a difference.
Now four decades later, Charlotte still struggles with serious mobility issues but she knows how much worse it could be and is grateful to all those who helped her get to this point. She is motivated and ready to help others like her anyway she can.
Not long after the Scudders settled in Harrodsburg, they looked for ways to make an impact in their community. “We looked around and wanted to do something that benefited our whole community, our new forever home,” said Charlotte. Shortly after, they discovered Campbellsville University and the opportunities it offered in Harrodsburg.
Doug and Charlotte immediately began to give to Campbellsville University to support the health initiatives and work programs starting there, “Whether it's welding or medical, we just love that the programs offer an actual skill you can immediately go and use for work,” said Doug.
Doug continued, "Charlotte and I have a common mindset of not just helping people but also preventative care, helping others get up and move, take care of themselves.” “To be able to have these kinds of care in the community, it's just something everyone can benefit from. I would just love to see Harrodsburg continue to thrive and become something bigger,” added Charlotte.
With this mindset, the Scudders have now committed $2 Million. “We just kind of looked at each other and said, well, let's make a big impact on this one university. We like what they're doing. Yeah, instead of doing a little bit all over the place, let's just jump in with both feet,” said Doug.
Dr. Trevor Foshang, Administrative Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Associate Professor of Chiropractic, shared his vision for the generosity of the Scudder Family, “the Scudder family's $2 million gift to Campbellsville University represents much more than a philanthropic contribution. It is the catalyst for an emerging vision for Campbellsville University's presence in Harrodsburg; one centered on healthcare education, community clinical care, research, and health assessment”
“Their investment has provided momentum for an interconnected set of initiatives that will expand educational opportunities, strengthen access to healthcare in the community, create new opportunities for research and assessment, and deepen Campbellsville University's service to Harrodsburg and the surrounding region”
Near the end of the 10th-anniversary ceremony, Campbellsville University President Joe Hopkins revealed the direct impact of this large gift. The creation of a physical therapy program.
“I am deeply grateful for Doug and Charlotte’s vision, their generosity, and desire to make an enduring difference through the healing work of chiropractic care, and now, through physical therapy. Your extraordinary $2 million gift to launch this new physical therapy program in Mercer County represents so much more than the beginning of an academic program. It represents an investment in people, in community, and in a future that will be stronger because of your generosity.”
From their giving, Campbellsville will create new role models in the local community, Kentucky, and beyond. Students will become servant leaders and, for the Scudders, continue their legacy by showing how to be healthier and more generous toward every person.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university that offers over 100 programs, including doctoral, master's, bachelor's, associate and certificate programs. For complete information, please visit www.campbellsville.edu.