About the Donor
The Education Abroad Program is able to award the Dan Wise and Duttenhaver Scholarships by means of the generous donation made annually by Linda Duttenhaver. Linda is a great friend to EAP, but is not merely a passive donor. She is a true supporter of international education and EAP and is very engaged in the application process, ultimately making the final recipient selections for the Dan Wise Scholarship and Duttenhaver Scholars programs. Linda also enjoys meeting students at EAP events and looks forward every year to reading student essays.
A Letter from Linda Duttenhaver
"People often ask me about why I created the Dan Wise and Duttenhaver Scholarships. To answer that, I need to first give you a little background. Peel the calendar back to 1974, when I was a sophomore at UC Santa Barbara. That fall, I rallied all of my courage to apply for a year abroad in Bordeaux, France, a logical choice for a French major.
I felt emotions ranging from happiness and surprise to anxiety and fear when I learned that I had been accepted. But I got on that plane that rainy September morning, and I never looked back. I spent a fantastic year in France, studying French language, culture, and literature. Being there for the entire year is what made the difference, because I had enough time to really immerse myself in the experience. This couldn’t have happened in a few weeks or even a few months.
I went on to graduate school in international management, got married to a fellow student who founded a successful international business, and launched a career in public relations. Five years ago, I joined our family’s real estate business and am now managing a portfolio of industrial and commercial properties.
Thanks to the success of that business, I was able to create a charitable fund with the purpose of making a difference in the world. Okay, so now I have money to give away—but to whom? For what? I believe strongly that you need to donate money responsibly, in ways that are productive and cost-effective.
That’s when I looked back at my EAP experience, which changed my life. I left for France a timid girl afraid to step out of her comfort zone; I returned as a mature, confident woman with professional and personal skills that have served me well ever since: self-reliance, resilience in the face of adversity, and a global view of the world, not to mention fluency in the French language.
Around the same time, my close friend Dan Wise passed away. Dan lived an international life, serving in the Peace Corps in Senegal, working in Germany, traveling extensively throughout Europe, and pursuing his passion for all things French. I was looking for a way to commemorate him, and also to provide the study abroad opportunity to those who might not be as fortunate as I was.
Voila! The Dan Wise and Duttenhaver Scholarships were born. Since their establishment in 2004, these scholarships have given over 180 students the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of studying abroad. And that gives me more joy than anything money could buy."
Linda L. Duttenhaver
EAP Alumna (Bordeaux 1975–1976)
Dan Wise and Duttenhaver Scholars Program Donor
About Dan Wise
EAP alumna Linda Duttenhaver established a scholarship fund in honor of her longtime friend Dan Wise, who passed away in 2002.
In an interview discussing her reasons for starting the fund, Linda said, “This fund is a perfect way to commemorate Dan, a man who loved language, travel, and international culture. Dan lived an international life, serving in the Peace Corps in Senegal, living and working in Germany, and owning a travel agency. I often thought of Dan as a modern-day ‘Renaissance man’—with his great interest in anything having to do with the world’s cultures, history, and language.”
The Dan Wise Scholarship Fund is targeted toward students who participate in a year-long EAP program in France and have demonstrated financial need, combined with a passion for the language and culture of France.
While on EAP, Linda studied in Bordeaux, France, in 1975-76. “I was so lucky to be able to study abroad,” said Linda. “I want to provide that same wonderful opportunity to others who might not be as fortunate as I was.”
While studying abroad, Linda honed her fluency in the French language, traveled extensively throughout Europe, and developed an appreciation for a world much larger than the U.S. Perhaps most importantly, she learned self-reliance, a lifelong skill that she has found to be a key in almost every aspect of her adult life.
Since its inception in 2004, the fund has supported over 71 Dan Wise scholarships, allowing many students to participate in their EAP programs.