ROCK SPRINGS — Debbe Spicer recently established three new endowments at the University of Wyoming to support students across multiple disciplines.
The funds also honor three of Spicer’s granddaughters, Sophia, Hannah, and Bella Spicer.
“I am so proud to be able to give our granddaughters the opportunity to honor the university that they all love,” Spicer said in a press release from the university.
The Sophia Spicer Art Education Fund, the Hannah Spicer Nursing Fund, and the Bella Spicer Master of Business Administration Fund will create opportunities for future UW students.
The education fund will support students pursuing their bachelor’s degrees in art education. The fund is named for Sophia Spicer, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in art education and works as an art teacher at Black Butte High School.
The nursing fund will support students in the university’s Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, with a special emphasis on recipients from Sweetwater County. Hannah Spicer received a bachelor’s degree in nursing 2023 and works as a pediatric intensive care unit nurse at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City.
The business administration fund will support students in UW’s Master of Business Administration Program. Bella Spicer received a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2024 and an MBA in 2025 and currently works at Adobe in Salt Lake City.
A fourth sister, Mia Spicer, is currently a student at UW. She studies criminal justice and is on track to graduate in May. She wants to work as an attorney.
The Spicer family has a multigenerational connection to Wyoming’s only university. 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.
Debbe Spicer and her late husband, Dr. Tom Spicer, both graduated from UW as well, with Debbe having studied microbiology in the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources while Tom was a zoology and physiology major in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Debbe and Tom have supported UW for more than 40 years, having previously helped support 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 served on the UW Board of Trustees from 1997-2009, which included a term as president and chairman from 2000-2001. He also served on the UW Foundation, 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.
The Spicer family’s involvement with UW dates back to Tom’s parents, Eldon and Beverly Spicer. Eldon was a UW alumnus who worked as a rancher and advocated for stakeholder involvement to help resolve land issues. 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.
