A Passion for Giving Back, Together: Ronald Myers, ’79 DDS, MS, and Kathleen Kiefer, ’79 MSc
Ronald Myers, ’79 DDS, MS, and Kathleen Kiefer, ’79 MSc, met as students at Ohio State and both went on to enjoy successful careers. They are the type of married couple who finish one another’s sentences.
Dr. Myers served in the U.S. Navy for more than 11 years after graduating from dental school before he started a private dental practice in Brooksville, Florida. He then finished his naval career in the reserves and retired as a captain. Ms. Kiefer started her career in medical research and development and then sales and marketing before going back to school to become a certified public accountant. Now in retirement, they are making important and fulfilling decisions about charitable giving together, including showing incredible generosity to Ohio State’s College of Dentistry and various other charities.
“We are financially comfortable because of the educations we got at Ohio State, and now we’re just trying to do our part to give back to the college. We’re passionate about it.”
-- Dr. Ronald Myers
The couple’s philanthropy to the College of Dentistry began when Dr. Myers sold his dental practice in 2010. He and Ms. Kiefer wanted to make sure Ohio State would be included in their estate. So they reached out to the college to inquire about making a planned gift and, in the process, also decided to start a scholarship so they could see the impact of their philanthropy in their lifetimes. That decision was one of the best they’ve ever made, Ms. Kiefer said. “If you wait until you’re gone you won’t see the benefit.”
Established in honor of Dr. Myers’s military service, their merit-based scholarship gives preference to students who have been honorably discharged from any of the five branches of the U.S. military. Dr. Myers and Ms. Kiefer have been thrilled to hear from—and in some cases, to meet—the students their fund has helped. “We’ve received notes from every one of the recipients,” Ms. Kiefer said, “and Ron talks with the students to encourage them to continue on to additional residencies to advance their careers. It’s rewarding to know that you’re helping.” At a scholarship dinner, they developed such a strong connection with a recipient that Dr. Myers and Ms. Kiefer then hosted the student and his fiancée at their Georgia summer home.
While the couple plans to continue giving to their scholarship fund, they have also made a major gift to the Building on Strong Foundations campaign, hoping to impact all students with the much-needed Phase I replacement of Postle Hall. “As we’ve gotten to know Dean Lloyd and have seen his passion and all he’s trying to accomplish, we’ve been very impressed. We think the building will make a difference for all dental students,” Dr. Myers said.
They are both happy to support the university and college that gave them so much. “My Ohio State education was very difficult and rigorous, but I received one of the best educations I could ever have,” Dr. Myers said. “We are financially comfortable because of the educations we got at Ohio State, and now we’re just trying to do our part to give back to the college. We’re passionate about it.”