The skills Tuti Scott ’84 learned at Ithaca College shaped her life and spurred her career. She has never forgotten that those positive IC experiences were made possible by the giving of others—which lies at the heart of why she remains close to the College by volunteering her time, by hosting IC interns, and by including Ithaca in her estate.
Scott began her college career as a physical education major, but, she says, “I felt a little limited by what physical education would do, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a teacher.” She was much more interested in the anatomy and physiology of the body during exercise, so she became a planned studies major and augmented her physical education coursework with science courses. “I built my own curriculum around exercise science.”
Scott parlayed her self-designed degree into a 15-year career with the Women’s Sports Foundation, where she is currently co-CEO and chief external relations officer. The foundation, which was established in 1974 by tennis legend and social activist Billie Jean King, provides research, education, and advocacy on issues related to gender equity and the role of women in sports.
Scott says her experience as a point guard and captain of IC’s women’s basketball team serves her well in nonprofit management. “It totally shapes my job every day. Being the captain of a team is all about leadership skills, much like being a leader in business.” Scott says her basketball activities also gave her experience “working with people different from [me] and playing to their strengths.” And, as a student-athlete, “you develop much better time-management skills.”
While a student, Scott worked in the Office of Sports Information and sharpened her writing skills. “That’s what IC really taught me,” she says, “to try anything and to ask questions. There were a lot of great mentors who were more than happy to teach me.”
Scott now volunteers on an advisory board for the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance and has hosted numerous IC interns at the Women’s Sports Foundation. Those IC interns are “all now gainfully employed,” she says, having made good use of their experience at the foundation. In fact, one of them, Journey Gunderson ’04, is now working for the foundation. “She’s one of our best and brightest,” Scott says.
Scott has also included Ithaca College as a beneficiary in her will. She sees her gift as a way to pay Ithaca back for the generous financial aid package she received as a student. Scott was the youngest of five children in a single-parent household and wouldn’t have been able to attend college without significant financial help. “It was strictly because of IC’s financial aid office that I was able to go to college. Giving back was instilled in me by so many of my mentors, and it is easy to ask others to give when so much has been given to you.”
For more information about estate gifts and other planned giving opportunities, visit the planned giving website.
