Keith Slaughter, LAS ’75 Individual Plans of Study, has transformed a life-changing piece of advice into an enduring opportunity for future students.
As an undergraduate, Slaughter worked with Bonnie Anderson Seiler, Ed.M. ’73 EPSY, in Illinois’ pioneering PLATO Computer-based Education Research Laboratory. At a moment when he was considering leaving the University, Anderson Seiler helped him recognize that computer programming could become both a career and a means of creating social impact.
“She basically kept me in school,” Slaughter recalled. “When I started working with her, I began to see purpose in completing my degree.” That encouragement helped launch a successful career in computer programming and consulting—and inspired Slaughter to honor Anderson Seiler through the Bonnie Anderson Seiler Scholarship.
The scholarship supports undergraduates in the College of Education, particularly students pursuing CS + Education with an emphasis on learning sciences. Slaughter believes the interdisciplinary program gives students interested in educational technology an important head start by combining teaching and educational-design principles with computer implementation skills.
The gift was made through a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from Slaughter’s IRA, a planned giving vehicle that allows donors age 70½ and older to make tax-advantaged contributions directly to a charitable organization. He has recently deepened his commitment through a planned estate gift that will benefit generations of students to come. As Slaughter explained, he wanted his gift to benefit others beyond his lifespan.
Earlier this month, Slaughter returned to campus, where he chatted with College of Education faculty and staff, met his 2026-27 scholarship recipient, Aryan Kancherla, and toured the Education Building. The College presented him with a gift honoring his continued support of Education at Illinois students through the Bonnie Anderson Seiler Scholarship.
Slaughter’s generosity completes a meaningful circle: one person’s timely encouragement shaped his future, and his planned gift will now help generations of students discover how their own talents can make a difference.
“Bonnie was largely responsible for inspiring my early professional career, so it seems appropriate to honor her pioneering contributions to the field,” Slaughter says.
If you want to support the Bonnie Anderson Seiler Scholarship or create similar opportunities for students, faculty, research, and programs, please email the College's Office of Advancement or visit our Giving page.