“My Why:” Laurel Speier

A Legacy of Faithful Generosity and Community Impact

With a heart rooted directly in faith, Jessup donor Laurel Speier sees every resource she has as something that belongs to God. For her, giving is more than an act of generosity, it’s meant to be stewarded for His purposes. “When I see a need that has kingdom-driven purposes, I do what I can to help fill it,” Speier said.

For several years, Speier has connected with our growing University supporting various causes including our veterans endowment, student scholarships, Give:24, Jessup’s OnRamp program for foster youth aging out of the system, as well as several other programs designed to help students succeed. In addition, she is a strong supporter of Jessup’s burgeoning nursing program where her daughter, an emergency room trauma nurse, also teaches when students are participating in the clinical portion of the program. 

Her expertise as an experienced businesswoman has ignited her upward trajectory in various capacities ranging from furniture sales, to optical businesses, education and video gaming industries. A key factor Speier credits to her success is mentorship. “I was fortunate to have mentors show me the way, providing wisdom and guidance,” she said. “That’s one of the things I appreciate about a Jessup education. Students have access to mentorship.” Speier put it this way, “Jessup students go into the world strong in their faith, and tend to be business people with integrity. That is so important in business and vital in our world today.” 

Her passion for uplifting others extends well beyond the walls of Jessup University. For over 20 years, Speier has worked closely with the Salvation Army organizing their Helping Handbags event. Held this year, October 11 on the Jessup campus, the 20th anniversary of the popular fundraiser features an elegant luncheon, luxury handbag shopping and auctions to raise money for the Salvation Army’s programs designed to serve women, children and families. 

Consistently seeking ways to invest in the growth and well-being of others, Speier enjoys seeing a direct impact and effect from the funding she provides. “In so many organizations, you don’t know exactly where your giving is going,” she said. “At Jessup, I know it goes 100% directly to students or to a specific program. We’ve also learned that whatever we give comes back tenfold. If it isn’t monetary, it comes in the form of blessings.” 

Speier views supporting Christian higher education as crucial when it comes to shaping society.  “Simply put, our world is so in need of developing Christian values: To love God and share His love by demonstrating compassion, humility, honesty and integrity. Sadly, we don’t see it very often,” she said. “We can’t allow ourselves to be silenced. We need to have the courage, more now than ever, to share what being a person of faith means and that’s what Jessup is all about helping students do.”

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