Bill and Ruth Scott Reached Out by Investing in Student Scholarships
Bill Scott passed away on Feb. 24, 2024. Over the years, Bill and his wife, Ruth, generously supported Bellevue University students by providing scholarship funds to Omaha-area students to ensure they could attain their goal of earning a college degree. The Bellevue University Board of Directors presented Bill Scott with an honorary doctoral degree in 2016 for his decade of service as a member of the University’s Board from 1998-2008.
Builders of Bellevue University: Across the Years and Generations
Bill and Ruth Scott are long-time “investors,” who have known each other since they were eight years old. As a 10-year-old, William J. “Bill” Scott helped carry out bags of groceries purchased by customers at his father’s Ashland, Nebraska, store, including some purchased by Ruth’s family, who were Ashland-area farmers.
The two dated in high school and married in 1950, while in college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1953, Scott worked in banking. In 1959, the Scotts bought shares in Buffett Partnership, a company run by now-legendary investor Warren Buffett. In a fortuitous career move in the 1962, Scott got a job as an assistant to Buffett, becoming the first employee of what would become Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., a diversified multi-national corporation with well over 300,000 employees and headquarters in Omaha. Over three decades, Scott accumulated considerable company stock holdings, eventually retiring as a Vice President in the early 1990s.
Through the William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation the Scotts established in 1999, the Scotts have generously invested in more than 100 non-profit organizations and causes serving the greater Omaha area and beyond, including Bellevue University. Since 1997, Scott personal and Foundation funds have helped with endowment, technology, campus expansion, and program development. The Family Foundation is overseen by their son, John A. Scott, who works with Bellevue University and numerous other nonprofits and charities throughout the local community.
Scholarships are by far their largest area of giving to Bellevue University. While serving on the Board in 1999, Scott helped provide the impetus to launch the South Omaha Outreach Program, a University Board-driven initiative. Since 2001, the program has provided need-based scholarships and support services to hundreds of deserving students from the South Omaha community. Scholarship donations from the Scotts and others also enabled the University to broaden the impact, providing “Outreach Scholarships” for students throughout the metro area.