From those who created the Presidential and Bone scholarships, to the legal legends that stoked his passion for the law, Scott Kording ’02 benefitted from Illinois State alumni who had the foresight to give back.
“If we want that continue, we need to do something,” Kording said.
Kording has done just that, making a financial investment in Illinois State virtually every year since graduation—even during law school—showing his commitment to his alma mater.
Illinois State is where Kording became president of the student body, where he thrived as a national mock trial competitor, and where he met accomplished judges through the University’s Attorneys Advisory Board, on which Kording himself now sits. Those experiences—achieved without the burden of student loans—gave him an advantage in law school and when he opened his own practice in Bloomington.
Illinois State is also where Kording met his wife, Melanie (Bertilson) ’02, M.S. ’12. She gives to the College of Education, while Kording in recent years has focused his giving on Illinois State’s Pre-Law program.
Kording also gives his time, teaching three legal courses per year: trial advocacy, mock trial team, and family and domestic relations law.
In addition to the lasting impact Illinois State made on his life and his passion for paying it forward, Kording says he’s a loyal annual contributor because he’s confident his gift will be well-spent.
“I know from the teaching I do that this money goes right to the students,” he said.
Consistent giving like Kording’s is what the newly established Loyalty Circle celebrates. This kind of annual support, regardless of the amount, is critical to the University’s ongoing ability to provide an affordable, quality education to deserving students today and in the future.
You can make a difference again this year, or for the first time, by making a contribution online at IllinoisState.edu/Giving, calling (309) 438-2592, or emailing lwey@IllinoisState.edu.
