Anne Cherry made a call to Utah State University's College of Science last fall with an unconventional proposal — she aimed to create a fully endowed scholarship in her husband's name as a surprise Christmas gift. Anne's husband, Dr. Bradley Hintze, is a proud Utah State alumnus who shows his Aggie pride every chance he gets.
"You know, Bradley talks about Utah State all the time," Anne said. "He reads Discovery, the College of Science alumni magazine, cover to cover, and is always telling me about the stories and what’s happening in the college. We were out running together one day and we were talking about this bonus I got from work, and I said to Bradley, ‘I don't even know what to do with that money.’ And I sort of stopped talking, and he was quiet, and I said to myself, ‘Actually, I do!’ "
Bradley discovered his wife's thoughtful gift under the Christmas tree at the end of a trying 2020. Both Anne and Bradley work in healthcare — Anne as a neuroscientist, and Bradley in data science at the Duke Institute for Health Innovation. After months of working on the unpredictable Covid-19 epidemic in different capacities, the surprise scholarship was a welcome sight Christmas morning — even if Bradley didn't see it right away.
"I went through this box and saw all this Utah State stuff and didn't realize what was in the bottom," Bradley said. "After going through most of it I thanked her, and she looked at me and said, ‘Bradley, open the folder.’ I opened it, and was overwhelmed. I was telling everyone that she got me a $25,000 scholarship, and all I got her was a new cookie sheet."
"Which I wanted!" Anne added.
The gesture bears special meaning to Bradley, who was born with cerebral palsy and developed cervical dystonia in his teens. Despite physical limitations, Bradley earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Utah State in 2009, followed by a doctorate in biochemistry from Duke University in 2015.
"Giving a scholarship really means a lot to me, because I received scholarships myself — and it was the only way I could see myself going to college," Bradley said. "Scholarships were really the only path I had to a college degree, and I was fortunate enough to get them. So, being able to provide that to future students is really exciting to me."
Anne and Bradley ensured the Dr. Bradley J. Hintze Endowed Scholarship would be awarded annually to a student in the College of Science. Their gift is specifically designed to help those facing the added difficulty of being a first-generation college student, and avoid the burden of student loan debt that so often plagues those entering the field of medicine.
"I'm a first-generation college student," Bradley said. "To me, first-generation students are impacted the most by college, and I think they have the biggest barriers to obtaining degrees, so it was important to me that we give the help where it is needed."
Already a distinguished Utah State alumnus, Bradley's efforts to eliminate barriers for future students and provide them freedom to pursue careers through the College of Science is truly a gift that keeps on giving.
"To look back at Utah State every year and see a student succeed with our help, while remembering my time there, I look forward to seeing that," Bradley said. "And, I can’t wait to follow these students and see where they go and what they do next!"