Couple's Gift Shows Gratitude for QU Experience

Martha and Len Biallas

Len and Martha '71 Biallas' dedication and commitment to Quincy University first started in the classroom—Len as a professor and Martha as a student. In gratitude for the professors at QU who helped them to nourish and grow a world view and a faith commitment consistent with the Franciscan tradition, they continue to support endowed scholarship funds for five former professors and have remembered QU in their estate plan.

Martha, a Quincy native, graduated from Quincy High School in 1965 and earned her bachelor's degree from Quincy College in 1971. She got her master's degree in elementary education from the University of Illinois at Champaign in 1972. Len came to Quincy University to teach in 1973, having completed his bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame and doctorate from the Catholic Institute in Paris, France.

Len taught 31 years at QU before retiring from full-time teaching from the Division of Theology and Religious Studies in June 2004. He has continued to teach part time. He will officially retire from teaching this May. Martha was an elementary teacher in Quincy public schools for 34 years before retiring in 2004, instructing first and second graders and students with special needs. During that time, she worked for Accelerated Learning Curriculum and was a longtime member of the Illinois Reading Council. Since retirement, she has been very active in the community, serving on several boards.

While at Quincy College, Martha's favorite professors were Sue Francour, Gerry Etzkorn and Fr. Pacific Hug OFM, who showed the importance of a liberal arts education and helped her discover the world of philosophy. Len appreciated the encouragement and support he received from QU as a faculty member. The University's flexibility allowed him the time to write three books and teach as a visiting professor at Loyola University's Rome Center in Rome, Italy; at Auburn University in Alabama; and at St. Norbert College in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Len and Martha have spent much of their life traveling. Among her travels to 86 countries, Martha taught English as a second language for two months each in Masaka, Uganda, and Kaunas, Lithuania, and supervised student teachers for a year in Rome. During his teaching career, Len lectured in eight countries. With Martha, he taught in Uganda and Lithuania; he also taught in North Vietnam.

Len and Martha have always been grateful for the Franciscan focus at QU as a spiritual center for growth and the attention the University paid to individual needs and interests. Their hope is that their financial support may benefit some of the current students so that they will learn to stretch their minds to realize their God-given potential, to marvel at the intricate beauty of the world and to strive for a world of social justice.

Open Doors of Opportunity

Like the Biallases, you can include a gift in your estate plan to show your appreciation for QU and allow students to achieve their dreams. Contact Matt Bergman at 217-228-5221 or bergmma@quincy.edu to learn about your giving options.