Muije bequest supports student scholarships
November 9, 2009
A successful attorney and MSU alumnus, John Muije recognizes the importance of planning and wanted to ensure that MSU would be a beneficiary of his estate someday.
John (Economics, ’76; MBA, ’77) together with his wife, Bobbi, recently made a commitment of $825,000 through a charitable bequest in their personal trust to benefit two scholarship endowments rich in meaning to John. More than half of their future gift will establish the John and Bobbi Muije Fellowship in Economics and the Law in the College of Social Science and the remainder will benefit the Honors College Alumni Distinguished Scholarship, the program that first connected John with MSU.
“I probably would have gone to school somewhere, perhaps have been successful, but the particulars of what is offered at Michigan State gave me a great opportunity,” John said. “It is only right that we give back to a good cause that benefits society, and MSU is it.”
John was born in Salt Lake City, but his family moved to places all around the country, landing him in Virginia by his senior year in high school. A brochure from Michigan State University arrived, providing information on the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship which awarded four-year merit-based tuition scholarships regardless of financial need. “I must have done well on the test,” John said.
John made the most of his time at Michigan State, starting before he even arrived. He pushed himself to complete every available advanced placement opportunity, passing by an academic year in general requirements. He then took such a demanding course load that he managed to obtain both his BA in economics and MBA within four years. The highlight was an MSU Study Abroad year spent in Freiburg, Germany, where he became fluent in German.
John went on to law school and has become a leading attorney in Las Vegas. He credits his business education with giving him an edge in building a successful practice in a highly competitive field.
Interestingly, Bobbi also came from a family that moved around often and had lived in Pinckney and Ypsilanti during her formative years. She had no trouble catching John’s Spartan spirit. The Muijes are avid Spartan sports fans and have designated a green and white entertainment room in their home, perfect for watching the games. They also make it back to campus several times a year to enjoy the season football tickets John has held for 20-plus years. In honor of their daughter Mickayla who is a stellar high school softball player and has regularly participated in MSU sports camps, they have made cash gifts to support the MSU softball team.
John and Bobbi are members of MSU’s Shaw Society.
For more information on making a gift to the College of Social Science, contact Senior Director of Development Sarah Blom at (517) 432-1802. For more information on charitable bequests, contact the MSU Office of Gift Planning at (517) 884-1000.
