A gift from the estate of Donald G. (1935-2016) and Susie R. (1936-2023) Wilson to the College of Architecture, Planning and Design has undoubtedly made a bigger impact than the Wilsons could have predicted.
As the largest APDesign commitment to date at approximately $13 million, the Wilsons’ gift will support the people and programs of K-State’s accelerated five-year architecture program for many years to come. But its most enduring outcome may ultimately lie in what came next.
Scaling up the scholarship
Realizing the Wilsons’ gift would fund tuition, fees, books and a housing stipend for 20 students, an emboldened APDesign saw the potential to extend that support to all fifth-year students who achieve a 3.5 GPA or higher. In partnership with the KSU Foundation, they created the APDesign Fifth-Year Fellowship Program.
Robin Frye, a 1989 K-State graduate in landscape architecture and friend of the Wilsons’, said the couple would be thrilled.
“Don and Susie were incredibly generous individuals,” he said. “They sought the best in people, and Don truly appreciated the equitable opportunity K-State created for students pursuing a degree in architecture.”
Providing that opportunity, however, was the result of a lifetime of hard work, dedication and perseverance.
Perseverance pays off
Don’s work ethic developed early in life on the farm, raising sheep and participating in FFA as a teen. He graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in architecture in 1959, having paid his way by working long hours on traveling threshing crews each summer.
He went on to become a widely respected and influential Kansas City architect with a reputation for long workdays and office hours on Saturdays. As a member of the Kansas Air National Guard from 1958-64, Don would reserve his vacation days for the annual service requirement.
In 1980, he founded Wilson Johnson Associates, later Wilson, Johnson & Embers and now Pulse Design Group. Don spent his career designing and implementing innovative healthcare projects nationally and internationally. He was registered in 46 states.
“Don probably worked on every medical facility in Kansas City, whether it was new construction, an addition or a remodel,” Frye said. “And you’d be amazed at how many firm owners in Kansas City got their start under the tutelage of Don before they stepped out on their own.”
Double the drive
Don married Susie Tomson in 1962. Susie had embarked on a career with Trans World Airlines, but after earning her master’s degree in communications at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, she joined Don as the business manager for his firm. It was the perfect partnership, and the business thrived.
Frye remembers her razor-sharp knowledge and giving spirit. “Susie also wanted the best for others and was always eager to share knowledge and resources,” he said. “One day, out of the blue, she drove me to the bank and helped me open an IRA.”
A legacy lives on
One of the students supported through the Wilsons’ gift is Miguel Perez, the son of immigrants from Mexico. He’s deeply passionate about creating spaces that foster community and well-being, and he has a work ethic to rival the Wilsons’.
“I grew up with a deep appreciation for hard work and perseverance,” Perez said. “This support has empowered me to maintain a high GPA and participate in numerous student organizations, shaping me into a well-rounded individual.” Like all scholarships, the assistance helped him fully engage in campus life and devote more time to learning without financial strain. But to Perez, there’s another, more meaningful layer to it. “It’s not just financial aid,” he said. “It’s a symbol of belief in my potential and dreams.”
