When donor Todd Garrison ’85, ’90, talks about his decision to create a scholarship for future engineering students, he knows the story is not just his own. Garrison comes from a family elevated through education. It’s this history that fuels his desire to expand access to engineering education at Illinois State University.
Garrison’s late mother, Theresa Cumby Garrison ’61, M.S. ’66, earned teaching degrees from Illinois State. She taught in Orange County, California, and at Bent Elementary School and Stevenson Elementary School in Bloomington until her retirement in 1993. Garrison’s father, Lewis, attended Lincoln College, then later served in the Navy and worked as a plumber/pipefitter. He and Theresa enjoyed supporting the ISU Black Alumni Association.
“My grandparents on both sides overcame then prevalent racial barriers to achieve their own slice of the American dream. They insisted their children work hard and avail themselves of the kinds of educational opportunities they had been shut out of a generation earlier,” said Garrison. “It’s an honor to stand on their shoulders. Everything I’ve achieved was because of the help, belief, and support of my family. That’s what I want to pass on to others.”
Garrison’s uncle Charles Cumby graduated from the University of Illinois. In the early 1950s, he moved to post-war Los Angeles, where he worked as an engineer at Lockheed Martin, and obtained a master’s degree from UCLA. After retirement, he and his wife Dorothy (an elementary school teacher) traveled the world.
Garrison’s own education, first in art, then in political science, led to a 30-year career in civil rights in state and federal government. Garrison most recently worked in the Equal Employment Opportunity Office of a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, investigating employment discrimination complaints, and promoting equity in hiring and retention practices
“Attending Illinois State University felt in some ways like a foregone conclusion. It was a natural fit but also opened my eyes to a wealth of possibilities,” said Garrison.
Illinois State University has continued to evolve since Garrison’s time on campus. The University began developing plans for a College of Engineering in 2016. It will welcome its first class in fall 2025. More than 50 prospective students have already applied.
Garrison’s gift continues his family’s legacy through the new college, while also echoing a lifelong pursuit of equity.
The Cumby-Garrison Scholarship will open doors for students who demonstrate a commitment to the values of diversity and inclusion, and additional funds will support student success within the college.
“I want to change the perception of who a typical engineer is by providing all students opportunities to have success in whatever way is most meaningful for them,” said Garrison. “My family members managed to move the needle in the direction of progress, actions I hope to have echoed in some way, first through my career in civil rights, and now, through these engineering scholarships at ISU.”
For more information about contributing to the College of Engineering, contact Joni Staley at jstale2@IllinoisState.edu or (309) 438-7735.
