Mark Schonhoff supports the computer science department at K-State.
By the time Mark Schonhoff was married and had a young son, he had just transferred to Kansas State University to fulfill a longtime goal of studying computer science at his favorite school.
“I had a lot of inspiration from home that pushed me to study hard and do well in school,” Schonhoff said. “Also, if my professors at K-State hadn’t been so committed to ensuring that I understood the fundamentals of computer science, I wouldn’t be in a position to give back to the university with my planned gift.”
Schonhoff knew since he was a sophomore in high school that he wanted to study computer science and attend K-State. Influential moments growing up made Schonhoff a Wildcat fan early on.
“As a kid, I had a brother-in-law who earned his degree in electrical engineering at K-State after having served in the Air Force,” Schonhoff said. “And as a teenager, I went with friends to a few of the K-State basketball games and loved the environment. Those reasons helped to solidify my passion for K-State.”
Once getting to K-State, Schonhoff’s passion for the school grew as he met influential professors who helped him succeed in his college career. To honor these professors, Schonhoff has made a planned gift to support the Cornerstone Teaching Scholars program in the College of Engineering. This program encourages the best instructors to teach sophomore- and junior-level classes, giving younger students the best possible learning experience in the formative stages of their education.
“I hope this gift helps the computer science department to continue to hire top-notch faculty in the years to come so that others can benefit in the same ways that I did.”
