Staff Member’s Gift Honors
Father While Helping Others
by Stephanie Malazarte
Through a gift, staff member Doug Ault has honored the memory of his father by having a room in the Clinical Education Complex named after him, the Donald K. Ault Viewing Room.
Doug Ault, director of design and construction at WKU, is involved in the planning and design of various campus building projects. One project in which he had a hand was the development of the Clinical Education Complex, which houses the Communication Disorders Clinic, where Ault ultimately decided to leave his gift.
Ault first became interested in the clinic because of the amount of support he saw coming from the community and WKU. He said the community’s interest was driven by needs within their own families, and this made him very enthusiastic about the project. This enthusiasm soon had greater meaning when Ault lost his father in January 2007. He began working with Ron Wilson, director of development for the WKU College of Health and Human Services, to find a way to honor his father.
The Communication Disorders Clinic was a “perfect fit for us and provides a great sense of how much this would reflect my dad’s life,” Ault said.
Ault’s father, who was a minister, struggled with a speech disorder throughout his life. Although treatment was not available for him, he persevered and overcame the problems he had with his speech.
“Doug’s gift to the CEC is a perfect example of supporting one of our many areas of need within the University,” Wilson said. “Philanthropic support starts at home, and he is a great role model for the WKU family.”
Ault’s gift will support the faculty/staff campaign component of the “New Century of Spirit” Campaign, which has a goal of receiving gifts from 1,200 donors by the end of the fiscal year. According to Josh Hawkins, director of Development for Co-Curricular Activities, the faculty-staff campaign currently stands at more than $706,000 raised from 944 employees.
“This is very special to me,” Ault said. “I can’t say enough. The person who gives gets as much out of it as the University.”
Stephanie Malazarte is a student intern in the Office of Institutional Advancement.
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