Spicer Family Establishes Three UW Endowments Honoring Granddaughters

A major gift from Deborah “Debbe” Spicer of Rock Springs to the University of Wyoming establishes three new endowments supporting students across multiple disciplines. The funds honor three of Spicer’s granddaughters -- Sophia, Hannah and Bella Spicer -- and reflect the family’s multigenerational commitment to education and the University of Wyoming.

“I am so proud to be able to give our granddaughters the opportunity to honor the university that they all love,” Spicer says.

The three funds -- the Sophia Spicer Art Education Fund, the Hannah Spicer Nursing Fund and the Bella Spicer Master of Business Administration Fund -- create opportunities for future UW students to achieve their educational dreams. The funds have both an endowment and an expendable component so that they can be used immediately but also have an impact in perpetuity.

Each endowment honors a granddaughter who followed in her grandparents’ footsteps by choosing UW for her education.

The Sophia Spicer Art Education Fund will support students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in art education at UW. Sophia graduated with her bachelor’s in art education in 2022 and now works as an art teacher at Black Butte High School in Rock Springs.

“We are thrilled by the level of support and assistance that the Sophia Spicer Art Education Fund will provide to our dedicated and creative art education students as they complete their degrees and move into K-12 art education positions in the state of Wyoming and beyond,” says Doug Russell, head of the Department of Visual Arts. “This gift will help our students succeed in reaching their personal and professional goals while enriching the only four-year art education degree program in the state.”

The Hannah Spicer Nursing Fund will support students in UW’s Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, with a special focus on recipients from Sweetwater County. Hannah graduated with her bachelor’s in nursing in 2023 and now works as a pediatric intensive care unit nurse at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City.

“What an incredible honor to see our future nursing students supported by this gift from the Spicer family in honor of one of our graduates, Hannah Spicer,” says Sherrill Smith, dean of the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing. “We so look forward to the impact that this gift has on our nursing workforce.”

The Bella Spicer Master of Business Administration Fund will support students in the UW MBA Program. Bella graduated from UW with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2024 and her MBA in 2025. She now works for Adobe in Salt Lake City.

“The Bella Spicer MBA Fund reflects what’s possible when talent, opportunity and a strong sense of place come together,” says Scott Beaulier, the H.A. “Dave” True Dean of the UW College of Business. “Bella’s journey -- from UW to a global firm like Adobe -- shows how a Wyoming education can open doors, and this fund will help future MBA students build that same momentum.”

Their younger sister, Mia, is currently a student at UW studying criminal justice and is on track to graduate in May. She would like to be an attorney.

For more than half a century, the Spicer family has had a profound impact not just on UW, but on the state as a whole. Whether serving on boards or giving of their time and treasure, the Spicers are an integral part of the story of Wyoming and its university.

Debbe and her late husband, Dr. Tom Spicer, both graduated from UW and remained deeply connected to their alma mater throughout their lives. Debbe and Tom’s investment in the university started during their time as students. Debbe studied microbiology in the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources and was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Tom was a zoology and physiology major in the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

“My mom is one of the smartest people you’ll ever see,” says their son Justin Spicer, a financial adviser in Rock Springs. “She discovered a virus in an independent study class at UW. My dad wore the bucking horse on his lapel proudly all the time. He was a Wyoming Cowboys fan, but he was a bigger fan of just the university.”

The three new funds add to the remarkable philanthropic legacy of the Spicer family, as Tom and Debbe have generously supported UW for more than 40 years. Their support has touched all edges of campus: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Art Museum, the College of Health Sciences, the Cowboy Joe Club, the Rochelle Athletics Center, scholarships in zoology and physiology and Hispanic heritage, the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center, the Alumni Association Scholarship Program, UW Libraries, and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, among others.

Tom also donated his time to advancing the mission and vision of the university. He served on the UW Board of Trustees from 1997-2009, including as president and chairman from 2000-01. He served on the UW Foundation Board, the Ruckelshaus Institute Board, the College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors, the College of Health Sciences Advisory Council, the International Board of Advisors and the UW Alumni Association.

“This gift represents the Spicer family’s continued commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders across multiple disciplines,” says John Stark, president and CEO of the UW Foundation. “Debbe’s dedication to honoring her granddaughters while helping other students achieve their educational dreams exemplifies the generosity and vision that has defined the Spicer family’s relationship with the University of Wyoming for more than half a century.”

The Spicer family’s connection to UW can be traced to Tom’s parents, Eldon and Beverly. The Spicers established the Eldon and Beverly Spicer Chair in Environment and Natural Resources in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at Beverly’s behest in memory of her late husband. Eldon was a UW alumnus and a rancher who advocated for stakeholder involvement and consensus building to resolve land use issues.

“The more that I get involved with the university, the more I appreciate this multigenerational legacy that our family has here,” Justin says. “And we’ve begun to talk to our kids about that, saying, ‘Not now but down the road, you’re going to have the opportunity to carry this on. You could be the fourth generation to continue this incredible legacy of supporting students and supporting the work that the university does -- because it’s so important to this state.’”

Bella, Hannah, Sophia and Mia Spicer are the daughters of Justin and Maggie (Marus) Spicer. Justin graduated from UW in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, while Maggie graduated in 1996 with a degree in education. Both were active in the Greek community, as Justin was a member of Sigma Chi and Maggie was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. When Mia graduates, it will end a nearly 10-year stretch of at least one Spicer daughter attending UW.

Indeed, these new funds ensure the Spicer family’s impact on UW will continue for generations to come, honoring the next generation of Spicers while supporting the educational aspirations of countless Wyoming students.