The notion of legacy is integral to the history of the School of Labor and Employment Relations. Throughout our 70 year history, we have been fortunate to see family legacies unfold – children following parents, grandchildren following grandparents, siblings, and cousins. The mother/daughter duo of Samantha Russell and Nastassja Rinderle graduated from the program 17 years apart.

“Nastassja and I are so excited about the opportunity to give back to LER. We would not be who and where we are today if not for the School,” Russell says. She now lives in Huntington Beach, CA and is consulting after 20 years in the corporate world, most recently as a Vice President at Pump Solutions Group in Illinois.

Rinderle, now a resident of Seattle, WA and working for Amazon Web Services as an HR Business Partner recently sat down with LER’s Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Heather Vazquez in September and over coffee, asked earnestly, “So, how much would you like to see someone like me donating?” Ever mindful that someone so young who is willing to be philanthropic is a rare, Vazquez shared, “Give what you can that gives you fulfillment. Philanthropy has to light you up and we are happy to be one of the places you would consider supporting.”

A couple weeks later, Rinderle e-mailed Vazquez, telling her she and Russell would like to make donation together, and have their name etched into the donor wall with a gift of $10,000. The generous support of our alumni –at all levels of their career, taking advantage of corporate matching gifts and pledging over several years – is among the many things that make LER special.