The Timeless Gift of Education

Like many young men at that time, Charlie Twine Sr. grew up in Eastern North Carolina working on a farm, that was until WWI came along.

In 1918, Charlie volunteered for the Army and was quickly shipped off to the war in eastern France. His sharp wit, good looks, and helpful personality quickly propelled him to the rank of sergeant. But in just 18 short months, the war was ending, and Charlie needed to focus on getting a job back in the states.

Charlie landed in South Norfolk, Virginia, where he worked as a pipe fitter for Norfolk Southern Railroad in their railyard. For Charlie and other the men lucky enough to return from the war, it was the beginning of their American Dream. He got married, built a house, and started a family. But Charlie had a bigger dream for himself and his family. While he was very industrious, he also aspired to make a living with his mind, not just his hands, and he knew education would be the path forward.

After settling down, Charlie began taking correspondence courses to enhance his business skills and build his resume. He took courses like accounting and business administration, completing all the coursework and examinations through the mail, all while working full-time at the railroad and raising a family. Charlie’s son, Dr. Charles Twine Jr. ’62, doesn’t remember the name of the school, but the entire family realized what their father’s education did to benefit them throughout their lifetime.

“My father came from very humble beginnings, and through education, he was able to get increasingly better jobs and provide for us,” Dr. Twine said. Later, Charlie landed a job at the local U.S. Post Office, finally moving out of manual labor and into a position where he could use his newly acquired business skills. Within years, Charlie was running the South Norfolk Post Office and retired as Superintendent.

Today, distance learning may look a little different than it did back then, but the meaning and value remain the same—gain access to a college education by removing the location barrier. ODU has always been on the cutting edge in this area, first with TeleTechNet, and now with ODUGlobal. ODUGlobal is ODU’s on-line learning platform, providing access to classes and degree programs for thousands of students, removing the need to travel to campus.

As Dr. Twine remembered how his father sacrificed to provide for his family, he felt the need to honor him in a significant way. He had an idea. Dr. Twine had previously worked with the Planned Giving Office at ODU to set up a scholarship for a Chemistry student.

So, he asked if he could set up a scholarship for a distance learning student to honor his father and name it The Charlie E. Twine Endowed Scholarship in Distance Learning. This scholarship will help remove the barrier of location and lower the cost of tuition for a student pursuing a degree through distance learning.

“My father’s education improved his career immensely, and he was able to pay for my college tuition at Old Dominion University. Because of that, and a few good professors at ODU, I was inspired to continue my education, earning both a master’s and Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of North Carolina. Now, through this scholarship, my father will be remembered forever, and it will help other students improve their lives through education, just like he did.”

You too, can make a lasting impact on future ODU students by designating a gift in your estate plan. To learn how to create a scholarship or to discuss tax-smart giving options, please contact Barbara M. Henley, CFRE at 757/683-6563 or bhenley@odu.edu or Brett A. Smiley, CFRE at 757-683-4735 or bsmiley@odu.edu.