David and Diane Bricker honor beloved KU chemistry professor through planned giving

David Bricker essentially grew up at the University of Kansas. When his father, Clark, joined the KU chemistry department in 1963, the university became a central part of David’s childhood.

“All the way back to my sixth-grade year, I’ve been in and around campus,” David said. “I had several jobs on campus over the years. I have two degrees from the university, my bachelor’s in classical languages and an MBA. The family had season basketball tickets for 53 years. It was part of our lives.”

Clark Bricker left a lasting impact on KU as a chemistry professor, serving as director and coordinator of freshman chemistry, for 20 years. David and his wife, Diane, hope to keep his memory alive with their giving. Over the years, they have given over $50,000 through qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), supporting the Clark Bricker Chemistry Scholars and the David and Diane Chemistry Opportunity funds.

 A QCD is a giving opportunity using one’s traditional individual retirement account (IRA). For those 70½ or older, funds given through IRA QCDs do not count as taxable income, but they do count toward an IRA owner’s required minimum distributions (RMDs) when they are required to take them. This can help avoid increases in taxable income and may reduce the likelihood of triggering higher taxes or other income related costs, such as Social Security taxation or Medicare premiums.

Brickers have also pledged several million dollars from their estate to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for a professorship in their name. This blended form of giving — through an estate gift and QCDs — allows for both students and faculty to be supported for years to come.

“It’s a way to start small and have an impact directly on the chemistry department,” David said. “And ultimately, we’d have a professorship for a great teacher. It’s a nice way to keep some momentum going as we age.”

When Clark Bricker taught chemistry at KU, his classes were held in Hoch Auditorium. After a fire destroyed the building in 1991, Budig Hall replaced it, but Clark’s memory remains. Today, Budig’s largest classroom, seating up to 1,000 students, bears his name: the Clark Bricker Auditorium.

“We’ve all had a great teacher or two somewhere along the way,” David said. “And Dad was a true inspiration to a huge number of students over the years at the university. He claimed that he wrote more letters of recommendation to medical school than anyone, and I believe that’s probably true.”

The Brickers’ philosophy is that there are always more causes that deserve to be spotlighted, and their philanthropy does not stop at KU. In their Montana community, they were instrumental in establishing the local fly-fishing festival and the Madison River Foundation, which helps preserve the river. They even helped start the first gardeners market in their town, and Diane has fundraised for their local medical center.

“Education, health care and conservation are very important to our society and to us personally,” Diane said. “I think that teachers should be valued more than they often are, and people need to be educated one way or another.”

If you want to start your planned giving journey and create a legacy at KU like the Brickers, contact Andy Morrison, vice president of gift planning at KU Endowment, at 785-832-7327 or [email protected].