Pratt Community College (PCC) is honored to announce the receipt of a transformative gift of $4,375,000 from the Lynda Beck Trust following the passing of Dr. Lynda K. Beck of Exeter, New Hampshire.
Dr. Beck, born on May 12, 1944, in Pratt, Kansas, to Clarence and Hazel (Golden) Beck, was a trailblazer in education and a lifelong advocate for learning. After graduating from Niskayuna High School in Schenectady, New York, where she excelled academically and athletically, she earned her undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Cortland. In 1972, she completed her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of New Hampshire.
That same year, Dr. Beck joined the faculty at Phillips Exeter Academy as the first female instructor in the Science Department. Throughout her career at the Academy, where she ultimately served as Vice Principal until 1998, Dr. Beck was a passionate advocate for gender equality in education, pivotal in paving the way for women in the field.
In addition to her impactful career at Phillips Exeter Academy, Dr. Beck served as a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 1998-2000, was a board member of The Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Massachusetts, and taught chemistry at Great Bay Community College.
Outside of her professional life, Dr. Beck enjoyed gardening, bird watching, and traveling the world with her beloved spouse, Susan Ratnoff, whom she married in 2010. The couple shared a love of exploration and golf and were known for their generosity and encouragement of others.
The $4,375,000 gift from Dr. Beck’s trust will be added to the Clarence and Hazel Beck Endowed Scholarship Fund, established in honor of her parents, to support PCC students for future generations. Additionally, provisions have been made for future contributions to this endowment.
“This extraordinary gift will have a profound and lasting impact on the lives of our students,” said Dr. Michael Calvert, President of Pratt Community College. “Dr. Lynda Beck’s legacy of educational excellence and student support will forever be honored at PCC. We are deeply grateful for her generosity and vision.”
He continued, “The generosity of Lynda Beck carries forward a long-standing tradition of giving by the Beck family. Her parents, Clarence and Hazel Beck, began supporting Pratt Community College in the 1990s, creating a lasting legacy of student scholarships. In recognition of their Contributions, PCC named Beck Hall in their honor. Like her parents, Lynda’s remarkable gift
will provide scholarships for generations of students to come. PCC students have genuinely benefitted from the enduring support of the Beck family.”
Please contact the Pratt Community College Foundation for more information about the Clarence and Hazel Beck Endowed Scholarship Fund or to learn how to support PCC students. For more information, please get in touch with Pratt Community College at 620-450-2125
