Business leader gives back to college with endowed scholarship

Steve and Kathy Swatek knew exactly what they wanted to do when they retired. Steve’s position as senior vice president of The Garvey Companies in Kansas City had been very good to them. Now, it was time to give back.

The Swateks, who live in Platte City, Missouri, already had established trusts, a planned gift to benefit the University of Oklahoma upon their deaths and a charitable foundation. The foundation would become the vehicle that allowed the couple to create the Steve and Kathy Swatek Endowed Scholarship in business at OU.

“We wanted to give to a needy student who should have the opportunity to get a four-year degree—a very bright person who hopefully will have a strong future,” said Steve, who graduated from OU in 1972 with a bachelor’s in business administration.

The Swatek Endowed Scholarship initially will provide one $1,000 scholarship, then two $2,000 scholarships annually as the endowment grows. Once awarded, the scholarship may continue throughout the student’s OU career. The first Swatek Scholarship recipient is OU freshman Brett Clements of Lamar, Missouri.

Steve and Kathy, who attended OU in 1969 and 1970, hope to meet with Brett and other scholarship winners on occasion and serve as mentors to them throughout their college career and in the years beyond.

“This is a good feeling that we have, being able to give,” Steve said. “We think it is so important.”