Katie and Kyle Chamberlin

When Kyle Chamberlin and Katie Hummer decided to get married, they knew that three beloved family members wouldn’t be able to attend their wedding: Kyle’s maternal grandfather Howard Hull, Katie’s paternal grandfather James Hummer, and Katie’s maternal grandfather Theodore Snider, all of whom had passed away. And Kyle’s beloved paternal grandfather, Bruce Chamberlin, was in his late 80s at the time (Bruce passed away in December 2017). Family is tremendously important to Kyle and Katie, and, as they joined their lives together, the young couple wanted to find a way to honor these special men and make them a part of their future lives together.

To do that, they decided to create an endowed scholarship fund with the Community Foundation: the Chamberlin, Hull, Hummer, and Snider (CHHS) Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Although Katie and Kyle didn’t become a couple until they were in their 20s, their families had been connected for years. Grandpa Snider was the long-time minister at Albright United Methodist in Mishawaka, which is next door to the home where Kyle’s father grew up and his paternal grandparents still live. Their mothers played flute together in the Mishawaka High School Band, and both families attended the same church for several years when Kyle and Katie were children.

With these family ties in mind, the idea for the scholarship was one of the first wedding details the couple discussed. Rather than create a traditional gift registry, they asked their guests to consider contributing to the CHHS Scholarship Fund. Their guests responded positively and generously; the fund will likely make its first award within the next two years.

“While the initial awards will be modest, we hope to significantly grow both the size and number of scholarships as our resources allow,” Katie says.

A scholarship that would benefit local students seemed like a natural fit for a couple who completed all of their education right here in St. Joseph County. In 2002, Kyle received a Lilly Community Endowment Scholarship, which paid for his undergraduate tuition at Notre Dame. Education has been a transformative element in Kyle and Katie’s lives, and they hope that the CHHS Scholarship Fund will help open doors for future generations of local scholars.

Katie and Kyle plan to make the CHHS Scholarship Fund a philanthropic priority for many decades to come.

“With the stability and professional resources of the Community Foundation, we’re pleased to know that our grandparents will be remembered even after we’re no longer around to share their stories,” says Kyle.