University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni David Dickinson and Karen McCluskey have made a $117,650 gift to establish a permanent endowment to support the Nebraska Council on Economic Education.
The couple’s gift creates the Karen McCluskey Endowment Fund, which will generate an estimated $5,000 annually in perpetuity to support K-12 teachers in Nebraska who want to enhance their economic and personal finance expertise.
“This endowment provides a permanent source of funding to empower teachers with the means to pursue further education, thereby enabling them to transform the lives of their students,” said the couple, who live in Malcolm, Nebraska. “This aligns seamlessly with our vision and serves as a perpetual gift that will continue to make a positive impact for many generations.”
NCEE has been housed in the university’s College of Business since it was created in 1965, working to educate Nebraskans on economic and financial literacy as a nonpartisan, nonprofit entity. The council’s work focuses on teacher professional development, academic competitions, advocacy, content and standards consulting, curriculum design and in-school savings programs. Its programming is designed to encourage youth and families to take an interest in economics, increasing the likelihood that students will use economic principles to guide their lives as consumers, savers, investors and workers. The council reaches teachers and schools in all 93 Nebraska counties.
“Equipping teachers with the necessary professional development opportunities to support teaching economic and financial literacy in K-12 schools is critical to empowering future generations of Nebraska citizens with the necessary skills to make informed financial decisions,” said Kathy Farrell, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean and professor of finance. “Investing in our teachers has a multiplier effect that will help prepare our students for lifelong success. We extend our sincere gratitude to David Dickinson and Karen McCluskey for this very generous gift that will make a lasting impact on our students and their communities.”
Gov. Jim Pillen declared April as Financial Awareness Month in Nebraska. During a March 25 ceremony at the Nebraska State Capitol, NCEE announced its 2025 Mary Lynn Reiser Economic Educator of the Year. With support from the Karen McCluskey Endowment Fund, the recipient, Tanner Ellis, a high school business teacher from Ravenna Public Schools, received a $1,000 cash award. The endowed fund also will provide professional development stipends for Nebraska teachers.
"NCEE is overjoyed by this generous gift," said Jennifer Davidson, NCEE president and an associate professor of practice in economics in the College of Business. "Investing in teachers pays dividends for years, even decades. The importance of having high-quality educators in the classroom cannot be overstated, as they will impact hundreds, if not thousands, of students throughout their careers. This support inspires our teachers to continue shaping the future of education, one student at a time."
McCluskey graduated from the College of Education and Human Sciences in 1985 and taught in the David City Public and Aquinas Catholic schools. Dickinson earned a bachelor’s degree in business in 1989. He is the president of Banker’s Compliance Consulting, which he founded in 1993 after spending the early part of his career working at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and a community bank. He also serves on the NCEE board.
The Karen McCluskey Endowment Fund represents a fusion of their individual interests by investing in the College of Business and personal finance and economic education while providing resources for teachers seeking additional training.
“We envision this gift as a means of funding teachers who aspire to enhance their economic education training but lack the financial resources to do so,” the couple said.
Dickinson and McCluskey hope to inspire others to support NCEE. Gifts to the Karen McCluskey Endowment Fund may be made online.
The couple’s gift was made through the University of Nebraska Foundation. It supports Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, a historic effort to engage 150,000 benefactors to give $3 billion to support University of Nebraska students, faculty, academic and clinical programs and research to address the needs of the state.
