Celebrating Sustained Commitment to CSU
The Spirit of Philanthropy Award is given annually by the Division of University Advancement to a current, emeritus, or retired faculty or staff member. Recipients of the award demonstrate exceptional leadership and a sustained commitment to increasing public understanding of the mission and programs of the University while working collaboratively with a development team on fundraising activities. A modest honorarium accompanies the award.
For information about how to nominate someone, please contact Ashley Ovesen.
Spirit of Philanthropy Award Recipients
2026 – Michael Buttram
Michael Buttram serves as the basic needs manager for Colorado State University. His work to strengthen individual and community well-being includes extensive experience in international nonprofit leadership, TRIO programming and classroom teaching. Michael received an M.A. in liberal arts from St. John’s College and a B.A. in music and mass communications from Texas Tech University. Michael was the recipient of a Fulbright Study Grant for work in Comparative Educational Practices at the Pädagogishe Hochshule in Weingarten, Germany. He has lived, learned and worked in Mexico, Honduras, Germany, and across the Southwestern United States.
2025 – Susan Benzel
Susan Benzel serves as the director of the Scott Scholars Program. Susan plays a key role in stewarding CSU’s engagement with the Scott Foundation. She was instrumental in securing a new gift agreement with the Scott Foundation that will provide $40M to support our students, programs, research activities, and facilities.
2024 – Matt Tillman
Matt Tillman is the President’s Office Chief of Staff and is responsible for coordinating across the institution to implement the administration’s strategic priorities, plans and initiatives. Before working in the Chief of Staff role, Tillman served for 20 years in the United States military where he was most recently chair and professor in CSU’s Department of Military Science. In this role, Lieutenant Colonel Tillman was responsible for the training and development of the Lieutenants the Ram Battalion produces. He was chief administer of the program and oversaw the 16 cadre members of the Battalion who train, teach and mentor cadets enrolled at CSU and the University of Northern Colorado.
2023 – Jim Sites and Elaine Regelson
Jim Sites and Elaine Regelson, who have been married for more than 40 years, have supported numerous students and programs through decades of giving and volunteering. They established two endowed scholarships that have benefited 48 students, created a professorship in physics, and have given hundreds of hours of their time to volunteer for programs across the College of Natural Sciences.
2022 – Linda L. Carlson
Linda L. Carlson (M.S., ’88), curator emerita of the Avenir Museum, enjoyed a 22-year careering caring for the Department of Design and Merchandising’s costume and textiles collection, teaching history and textile courses, and creating exhibits. She also played an instrumental role in establishing the Avenir Museum.
2021 – Doug Max
The remarkable coaching and leadership career of Doug Max (B.S., ’75) spans 45 years during which he built strong relationships with hundreds of donors and fans, and helped cultivated the resources CSU’s Department of Athletics needed to remain competitive.
2020 – Wayne McIlwraith and Stephen Withrow
Dr. Wayne McIlwraith is an international pioneer in equine arthroscopic surgery, a University Distinguished Professor, and the founder of the Orthopaedic Research Center at CSU. The construction of the $70 million Translational Medicine Institute, named in his honor, is a crowning achievement. Dr. Stephen Withrow, a surgical oncologist, a University Distinguished Professor, and founding director of the Flint Animal Cancer Center, was instrumental in securing a $4 million gift from the Flint Foundation and played a critical role in establishing five endowed University and Presidential Chairs.
2019 – Fred Haberecht
Two years before his retirement, Fred Haberecht received the 2019 Spirit of Philanthropy Award for his steadfast commitment to enhancing the beauty of CSU as its landscape architect.
2018 – Karen Rattenborg
As assistant professor emerita and executive director of Colorado State University’s Early Childhood Center for a decade, Dr. Karen Rattenborg (B.S., ’87; M.S., ’91; Ph.D., ’09) not only provided CSU’s youngest Rams with quality care and education, she also advocated for the ECC as a committed donor.
2017 – Linny Frickman
The Gregory Allicar Museum of Art would not exist at Colorado State University without faculty emerita Linny Frickman. As the museum’s director, Frickman’s passion for art, donor-centric focus, and dedication to strengthening donor relationships culminated to establish the Allicar as one of the best college art museums in the region.
2016 – William (Bill) R. Wailes, Jr.
Throughout his 30+ year career, including serving as the Department Head of Animal Sciences, Bill Wailes (B.S., ’69) was a passionate ambassador, representing CSU, the dairy industry, and animal agriculture, where he touched and influenced countless young lives and supported them with his philanthropy.
2015 – Mike Ellis
Throughout Dr. Mike Ellis’ distinguished career, he has provided leadership and guidance to dozens of campus groups and student organizations, as well as overseen several multi-million-dollar renovations to Lory Student Center during the past 15 years. Mike currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Executive Director of Lory Student Center.
