Long before they could envision making a life-changing gift to their alma mater, Renee ’78 and Doug ’83 Leuthold understood what it meant to work for an education.

Neither came from a wealthy family. Both worked through college, and some scholarships helped along the way. As they began their lives together, they paid down student debt and planned carefully for the future.

Now, through an $8 million estate commitment to Bowling Green State University, they are planning for the futures of students they may never meet.

“We both feel very lucky and privileged to have gotten an education,” Renee said. “We want to help other young people to be able to have that opportunity.”

What began at BGSU

The Leutholds are still determining how their gift will be allocated. But its purpose is clear: help students pursue an education, strengthen programs with a vision for growth and create opportunities that endure beyond their lifetimes.

“Renee and Doug have approached their giving with such thoughtfulness and a clear desire to make a lasting difference,” said Tina Hennessey, vice president for University Advancement and president and CEO of the BGSU Foundation. “Their generosity helps propel BGSU toward our next comprehensive campaign and shows what is possible when people connect their passions with opportunities to advance the University’s mission.”

For Renee, the guiding question is straightforward: “Where can we make the biggest difference at Bowling Green?”

That question grows out of an experience she still treasures. Coming to BGSU from Bucyrus, Ohio, Renee found a welcoming campus and faculty eager to help. She arrived uncertain about her career direction and found her path in fashion merchandising, where coursework spanning business, design and textiles provided a well-rounded foundation.

Today, Renee recognizes herself in students who arrive knowing they want to learn and grow but are still discovering their path. She sees value in helping them find that direction through BGSU’s Career and Life Design program, which gives students tools and guidance to explore possibilities, build confidence and chart their own paths.

Doug came to BGSU for his MBA after earning a civil engineering degree at Ohio Northern University. He valued evening classes, where working professionals brought their experiences into classroom discussions.

Their careers took them through eight cities in four states in the first eight years of marriage. Renee eventually spent the final 20 years of her career with Luxottica Retail, a global eyewear company. Doug worked in international engineering and construction before building a family business that expanded into manufacturing.

Their education helped them build fulfilling lives. Their philanthropy is an opportunity to extend that possibility to others.

“We worked hard to get where we’re at – not so that we’re leaving a legacy with our name on it, but that we are leaving a legacy that makes a difference,” Renee said.