Mount Mercy Experience Leads to Transformational Gift
Janice Nie Wente graduated from Don Bosco High School in Gilbertville, Iowa, in 1967. She was known to be “terribly quiet” when she enrolled in college, but Mount Mercy changed her. She thoroughly enjoyed her experience and developed an outgoing personality while establishing lifelong friendships with her classmates. She completed her bachelor’s degree in education at Mount Mercy in 1971 and went on to teach second grade at St. Edward Catholic School.
She met her husband, Arlin Wente, on a date arranged by a classmate. Fortunately, it was a perfect match and the couple married in 1979. They farmed north of Waverly throughout their married life. Janice especially enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, cooking, playing cards and taking care of her cats.
They lived an active life so when it came time to discuss their will, they knew they wanted to do something practical. Since Catholic education was so important to Janice throughout her lifetime, she chose to invest in teacher education at Mount Mercy—the place that had such a profound impact on her life.
When Janice passed away unexpectedly in 2018, she left a transformational estate gift to Mount Mercy. With input from Arlin, Janice’s legacy came to life. Mount Mercy renovated a wing of the Busse Center to create the Wente Education Center—a dedicated space for teacher education.
The Wentes’ gift also created 1) an endowed scholarship for education students, 2) an endowed professional development fund for faculty and, 3) campus accessibility improvements including installing automatic doors, replacing sidewalks and the steps leading to the Grotto.
It is safe to say that Janice and Arlin could not have imagined how many would benefit from their generosity. Have you considered where you will leave your mark? When you’re ready, please contact Lonna Drewelow at 319-286-4408 or ldrewelow@mtmercy.edu to discuss a gift that reflects your priorities and meets your charitable goals.