Language, Learning, and the Power of Giving: Cheryl Riniker’s Planned Gift to USU
Cheryl Riniker has always believed in the power of education to change lives, because she’s seen it firsthand. As a Utah State University alumna with a bachelor’s degree in French ’85 and a master’s degree in English ’87, she credits her time at USU with helping her build the foundation for a long and fulfilling career in the tech industry. Now, through a planned gift to the Carl T. Degener Memorial Scholarship Endowment in the Department of World Languages and Culture, she’s ensuring that future Aggies can pursue the same kind of transformative experience.
“I was inspired to include USU in my estate plans because while my husband and I were drawing up new wills, my uncle and aunt had talked about making donations to two schools that were important to them” Cheryl explained. “My husband and I each chose a place that meant something to us. For me, that was USU. It was a natural choice.”
Cheryl’s love of learning began early, but it deepened at Utah State, especially when she and her mother attended the university together. After transferring from Georgetown University, Cheryl enrolled at USU in the spring of 1982. Her mother joined that fall as a nontraditional student.
“She got an award from the Women’s Center for re-entry students,” Cheryl recalled proudly. “She always encouraged my brother and me to learn. Watching her thrive at USU showed me that education can enrich your life at any stage.”
Mother and daughter shared more than classes — they shared curiosity. They exchanged notes on which courses to take, compared schedules, and supported each other’s academic journeys.
“I had the security of a home, with cats, that was more comfortable than dorm living,” Cheryl said with a smile. “We both loved discussing ideas, and that deepened our connection to the university.”
For Cheryl, making a planned gift through a charitable bequest is a way to honor that connection, and to give back to the department that supported her so wholeheartedly.
“I felt that making a gift to the Carl T. Degener Endowment was a way to pay back the Department of World Languages and Cultures for all of their support,” Cheryl said. “They encouraged my studies, wrote recommendation letters, and involved me in research projects. It meant so much.”
Despite only taking one computer science class, Cheryl built a successful 25+ year career at Oracle Corporation. She credits her background in languages, and one key philosophy course, for the analytical skills that shaped her professional path.
“I took a deductive logic class from Dr. John Beyer, and I loved it,” Cheryl said enthusiastically. “The extra credit problems were like puzzles to me, and, it turns out, I love puzzles. Learning foreign languages isn’t that different from learning programming languages. They’re both about structure, rules, and expression.”
Cheryl, who works as a senior principal support engineer at Oracle Corporation, regularly uses her language skills to connect with international colleagues and clients.
“Sometimes I break the ice by saying hello in Telugu — ‘namaskaram’ — or in Tamil — ‘vanakkam’ — and Hindi — ‘namaste,’” Cheryl said. “It helps. And it helps me understand my French-Canadian husband better, too.”
For Cheryl, planned giving is about extending that sense of connection and support to the next generation.
“I have always felt that if you can give back to someone, you can make the world just a little bit better for someone,” she said. “I want to give back to other students who enjoy studying languages and learning about other cultures like I did. Sometimes all it takes is a little encouragement.”
To fellow Aggies considering a planned gift, Cheryl offers this advice.
“Think about what shaped your life and how you can help shape someone else’s,” Cheryl said. “Your gift could be the encouragement a student needs to pursue their dreams.”
Through her generosity, Cheryl Riniker is helping ensure that USU students continue to explore, discover, and connect — just as she and her mother did, side by side.
Creating your Aggie Impact through a planned gift is a powerful way to support student access and success — one of Utah State University's top priorities. By including USU in your will or trust, you can help fund scholarships, programs, and special initiatives that open doors for students and shape their futures. Planned giving is one of the most flexible and meaningful ways to make a lasting difference in the lives of Aggies for generations to come.