Accomplished Businessperson & Philanthropist Deeply Committed to Investing in Lives of Great Promise

Photo by Bethel University

Like many Berea students, Karin Larson was a first-generation college student. The values instilled in her by her mother and father about the importance of education not only impacted her own trajectory, but also inspired her philanthropy and lives on through her legacy gift at Berea.

Ms. Larson passed away on April 24, 2021, at the age of 82.

The youngest of three children, Ms. Larson graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in business and international relations.

From assisting in the development of her major in college to rising within the financial services company Capital Group, Ms. Larson was always a trailblazer. She started as a secretary, became the first female research director, and then chair of Capital International Research, Inc. Along the way she prioritized developing young talent and furthered her positive impact through philanthropy.

"In my charitable giving, I have four criteria I use: faith-based organizations, education, helping those less fortunate, and organizations in which I am involved personally," Ms. Larson shared with Berea College for a 2017 story in the President's Report for Philanthropy.

She started supporting Berea College and its students in 2001 with annual gifts. Her commitment to investing in lives of great promise continued over the next 20 years, with significant support of the Adult Simulation Laboratory in Berea's Margaret A. Cargill Natural Sciences and Health Building. The lab provides Berea nursing students with the education her mother desired but never achieved. "She wanted to be a nurse but was never able to do that," Ms. Larson said in 2017. "In those days, you were lucky if you graduated from high school. [This gift] was my way of honoring her ambitions."

Ms. Larson's most passionate philanthropy was the Karin Larson Endowment Fund, which she established in 2007 to provide tuition support for Berea's students. Believing the endowment to be the cornerstone of the College's mission, Ms. Larson was committed to growing her fund during her lifetime and also included Berea College in her estate plans.

Berea College President Lyle Roelofs who was privileged to have visited Ms. Larson at her home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., said this about her, "I was so impressed with the intentionality of Ms. Larson's philanthropy. She told me of her criteria and of the other organizations she actively supported, and I was very proud that Berea College could be included in such great company. What a testament she is to the transformative power of education—a first generation student goes on to amazing success and then generously supports a school that gives the same opportunity to the next generation!"

President Roelofs emphasized the significance of Ms. Larson's support of the College by way of sharing its mission with leadership within Capital Group. "Ms. Larson's keen understanding of the importance of connecting her employer and its leaders with the College in this way shows her deep commitment to philanthropy and afforded Berea the important addition of a Board of Trustee member in Will Robbins," said Dr. Roelofs.

"Karin was a mentor to so many at Capital," said William Robbins, Partner with Capital Group. "She led by example in both her professional and personal life, and her support of Berea was a big part of the latter. I was inspired as were a number of other colleagues to follow in her footsteps and make Berea College a priority in giving of both time and treasure."

Mary Galloway '07, Director of Individual Philanthropy, remembers Ms. Larson as a woman who was as humble as she was generous. "Karin believed that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Through her philanthropy, she enabled many Bereans to pursue their passions and pay forward the gift of education that she provided to them. Yet, she never sought recognition; a simple thank you was all Karin wanted in return for changing a student's life, and she would reply, 'It's worth it!'"

"I was really so blessed in my career and had been given so many opportunities," Karin shared. "My parents didn't even graduate from high school and were blue-collar workers. [I have] the ability to support people who otherwise wouldn't be able to go to college – that's important."