Gift from alumnus and wife will support students in business and aviation

Bowling Green State University has received a $2 million gift from alumnus William Shelt and his wife, Mary. The gift will be divided into two $1 million portions, one of which will go toward the Thompson Achievers program, and the other portion will establish the Lt. Gen. Douglas M. Gabram Aviation Scholarship.

According to an article on Bowling Green State University’s website, William Shelt explained how Bowling Green State University helped him achieve his immense career success and why he and Mary have chosen to donate their money to the university. He is quoted as saying, “The analytical tools and management processes I learned at Bowling Green helped me take responsibility for winning large contracts in a technically specialized and highly competitive industry. Later in my career, those skills were critical in starting a small business and building it into an industry leader. Through our gift, we want to ensure more students have access to those opportunities and the tools to create their own success.”

William Shelt graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1981 with a bachelor degree in marketing and sales and in 1983 he earned his MBA in international business. Mary Shelt attended Bowling Green University from 1977 to 1981, but ultimately ended up graduating from University of Texas at Dallas and Southern Methodist University with a bachelor degree and a master’s degree in education.

William co-founded M1 Support Services, an aviation services company, in 2003. The company has grown in the proceeding years into a leader in military and government services. The company started as a two-person operation and now has more than 7,000 employees around the world and is on track for $1 billion in revenue in 2025.

The Shelts have chosen to support business and aviation students through their gifts as these are two areas that have led William to his own success.

Their $1 million donation to the Thompson Achievers program will support a total of 55 Thompson Achiever Scholars. The Shelt’s gift will match the Thompson Foundation’s gift dollar-for-dollar, as is required for all gifts designated to Thompson Achievers. Thompson Achiever Scholars are students who demonstrate both academic success and financial need during their first year at Bowling Green State University. They receive the scholarship beginning in their second year, and the scholarship is renewable for up to four semesters. 

Mary Shelt said, “We are testing the scholarship programs and are excited to see progress and results. We hope the students who receive these scholarships can keep the motivation and desire to want to give to others. One person can make a big difference. We have seen firsthand how small things can develop into great successes. We also hope other alumni can appreciate how they can make a difference to assist, beginning with contributions to support one or two Thompson Scholars.”

The other half of the Shelt’s gift will establish the Lt. Gen. Douglas M. Gabram Aviation Scholarship in honor of the retired Army lieutenant general and fellow alumnus. William Shelt and Gabram met through M1 Support Services.

William Shelt said, “Lt. Gen. Gabram has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to collaborative, high-performance teamwork throughout his military career. He’s absolutely a patriot and hero. We wanted to acknowledge and honor his sacrifice of serving our country by establishing this scholarship in his name.”

For more information about Bowling Green State University, visit the school’s website.