Perkins Pay It Forward

Central is where Steve ’01 and Stefanie Bresnahan Perkins ’02 discovered who they wanted to be — generous and caring parents. They chose to establish a scholarship in honor of their son, Jackson, who has autism.

When an old friend contacts you out of the blue offering to buy some of your land, your first instinct is to give some of that money away, right? That was the first thought for Steve ’01 and Stefanie Bresnahan Perkins ’02 when it happened to them.

And so began the hard part: Coming to a decision. After praying and discussing the nonprofit organizations and options near to their hearts, the couple decided to create an endowed fund at Central College. Sure, it may come as no surprise to many as the Perkins have always been loyal donors, active alumni and great ambassadors of Central. But the reason behind it all came from a very personal, loving place.

After being diagnosed with autism at an early age, the couple knew their eldest son, Jackson, likely wouldn’t be able to attend college. Steve and Stef established a scholarship in his name so Jackson’s legacy would live at Central forever.

“Central is where we became who we are; it’s where we met and where our life began,” Stef shares. “We want to honor that.”

Given the number of educators who have made a difference in their son’s life and educational experience, Stef’s work and involvement in the Allamakee Community School District in their home of Waukon, Iowa, and all the great teachers they’ve seen come from Central, the Jackson Perkins Education Scholarship was born. This award supports Central students seeking a special education endorsement.

As scholarship recipients themselves, the couple strongly believes in paying it forward and giving back for the experiences they had as well as the generosity they received in their time at Central.

“One hundred percent of alumni graduated from Central because we were supported by people,” Steve says. “If we want Central to be around for future generations, we need to give back and be part of the solution.”

The Perkins hope this scholarship will ease some of the financial burden of higher education, inspire others to do good and create better teachers for students like Jackson.

“Giving back is life-changing for the next generation,” Steve shares. “We give because we want to make people’s lives better.”

“You don’t have to be able to give a large amount of money to support Central because it all adds up; any amount helps someone go to college,” Stef adds.

Jackson has enrolled in Central READY, a program designed for students with neurodiverse diagnoses to experience college life and culture. Students gain job experience and learn skills for independent living while on Central’s campus.

Every gift matters and directly impacts the lives of Central students. To learn more about giving back to Central, visit central.edu/give or contact Michelle Wilkie, director of development, at wilkiem@central.edu. Watch the video about the family’s journey to establishing the Jackson Perkins Education Scholarship at: central.edu/perkins-scholarship.