Leaving a Legacy

Leaving a legacy is often a desire to be remembered for what you've contributed to the world or to memorialize a loved one and their contributions. One way to do that is by supporting the people and causes that are important to you - and it's easier than you might think.

For Carol Ann and Richard Theuer, supporting immigrants as they adapt to a new life in the United States is a cause dear to their hearts. Carol Ann and Richard worked for several years in the part of Switzerland where French was the common language. They realized how hard it was to fit in when you don't speak the language. Richard says, "When we arrived, I only spoke four words in French, but by the end of our time there I was able to give a one-hour talk. It was quite an accomplishment for me."

When the Theuers came back to the United States, Carol Ann started teaching English as a Foreign Language, often the first step for immigrants in pursuit of higher education or a career. She taught EFL for eight years at Wake Tech before retiring. "These students are filled with desire and motivation," she says. "It's a rewarding community to work with."

To help EFL students, the Theuers created the BrandeckerMecca Scholarship in honor of their mothers, who greatly valued education and encouraged their children to pursue post-secondary degrees. Carol Ann's parents were born of Italian immigrants. Richard's parents were born in Germany and moved to the states as young adults. Richard says "As a child of immigrants, I grew up appreciating how important communication is to success."

Carol Ann has arranged for her IRA to go to Wake Tech in the future, to create EFL scholarships for years to come. "The gift is set up so that we can make adjustments if circumstances change, but we plan to keep funding these scholarships for as long as we can."