In May 2020, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the LCC Board of Directors authorized the establishment of a “deferred payment fund” as one way to support our students with financial need. Within two weeks, the Chair of the Board responded.

John and Melanie McQuaig have donated 100,000 EUR for a Fund to support our students being able to return in the fall. John is honoring his father by naming this Fund after him – the Douglas J. McQuaig Fund. Here are John’s words:

My Dad

Douglas J. McQuaig was an accounting teacher at Wenatchee Valley College (Washington) for 25 years. He felt education was the growth opportunity that opened doors for everyone who was able to pursue it. Many people have told me he was the best teacher they ever had. He never rested until every student understood what he was teaching. He also was instrumental in the career choices of many people through his conversations with students. It wasn’t always accounting but he helped students identify their gifts and talents and how to pursue them.

Late in his career he was very frustrated with the textbooks that were available. He felt they were designed only for students who wished to pursue a career in accounting as opposed to someone who took an accounting class to learn the basics. He decided he could write a better textbook. He approached several large publishing houses and Houghton Mifflin decided to publish his book. College Accounting is now in its 13th edition and has been a best-selling accounting textbook for decades.

My dad was also always very concerned about the well-being of his students and established an emergency loan fund at Wenatchee Valley College for students that had a short term need. This deferred payment fund at LCC will serve a similar purpose, helping to bridge the gap for students who have a short term need because of the pandemic, including students who are unable to work and travel this summer to earn their tuition for next year. Hopefully, as it is repaid it will become a semi-permanent fund for students in the future.

Thanks for letting us be involved in this important work.

This is a humbling example of the amazing community of support that surrounds LCC. As a university that chooses to keep tuition low in order to make our education accessible for students coming from developing countries, we recognize our dependence on the generosity and the culture of philanthropy of the global LCC community. We are blessed by so many individuals around the world. Thank you! Thank you, John and Melanie. We are so grateful for your gift. We know that many students will benefit from this generous offer of support.