Endowments: A Gift of Gratitude

For many, retirement is a chapter of life that inspires a good deal of reflection. 

For Tim Ostermeier ’79, retirement prompted him to look back on the 40-year career he’d built in electrical engineering and the difference he’d made – and could still make through philanthropy. 

Tim considers his professional journey as an extraordinarily lucky one. As he eases into retirement, he’s giving back with a scholarship endowment to support multiple Jackrabbits each year. 

Though he was born in Brookings, Tim didn’t remain in South Dakota for long. His father's service in the US Army took their family on a whirlwind tour around the world. Tim was spending his teens in Germany when he learned the family would uproot in the middle of his senior year. He was looking for a place to enjoy his last year of school and put down roots – and Brookings sounded like just the place. Tim lived with his grandmother his senior year, pondering what would come next. His family encouraged him to pursue engineering, recognizing its opportunities for growth, and he set off for a Jackrabbit education. 

Tim credits SDSU for helping him develop solid fundamentals in the engineering space and offering exposure in the industry. He was the recipient of a scholarship, and that support positioned him for success. It allowed him to fully dive into academics and embrace his time on campus. 

Following graduation, Tim secured a position with Black & Veatch. The company was expansive with many different avenues, but, after ten years, Tim aimed to try something different. He came across a small firm in Idaho called POWER Engineers that was in need of his expertise. While Tim was initially hired in design, he grew to take on responsibilities in consulting, leadership, and eventually becoming Chief Operating Officer.

After taking POWER Engineers to the next level, Tim played an integral role in selling the company. His leadership throughout the transition stemmed from key skills he learned in his Jackrabbit days. To Tim, being successful in business is all about leveraging time and skillsets, and those things don’t stop after college graduation. 

“There’s only so many hours in a day, and a life lesson I learned when I was growing that company is you have to work hard and work smart,” he says.

With his scholarship endowment for aspiring engineers much like himself, Tim hopes to inspire success and help students make the most of their time as they become productive members of society. He’s had the chance to meet a few of his scholarship recipients, and that interaction alone has made his philanthropy completely worth it. In those students, Tim recognizes his own experience: On the cusp of an ambitious career, eager to grow, and utilizing the generosity of others to build a life that makes them feel lucky.