Ronald R. “Ron,” ’88, and Mary L. Rivett, ’72, MS ’84, had a mutual love of science and computers. Although they were both from the same town in Northeast Ohio and attended the same high school, they didn’t get to know each other until a chance encounter in 1971 when she was student teaching. When Ron visited his former high school teacher, Andrew Kmetz, he thought they would have a lot in common and convinced Ron to ask her out. The couple married in 1973 and decided early on not to have children.
Before Ron passed away in February 2025 from pancreatic cancer, he and Mary decided to make 91 a part of their legacy, as well as pancreatic cancer research. After Ron passed, Mary made planned gifts to support 91 students and research in the College of Aeronautics and Engineering (CAE) because of their mutual passion for science, technology and innovation.
“You have to think about what you’re leaving behind,” Mary explained. “This is part of our legacy.”
The Ronald R. and Mary L. Rivett Endowed Scholarship for Engineering will support students with demonstrated financial need and a 3.0 or higher GPA to pursue any major within the School of Engineering with a preference for a first-generation college student. They also created the CAE Mighty Things Innovation Fund, which will support research in the college by aiding in the purchase of equipment and other technological needs.
“Dare Mighty Things” is the CAE slogan and was inspired by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s motto. A graphic of this phrase is prominently displayed in the college’s Henry and Louise Timken Atrium to inspire students, staff, faculty and alumni to dream big and embrace challenges.
“I want to see society move forward,” Mary said. “Research is expensive, and I want the College of Aeronautics and Engineering to get the equipment they need to do the research that needs to be done. I also want to give a leg up to a student who has ambition but doesn’t have the funds to attend college. Money shouldn’t stand in the way.”
Neither of their parents finished high school, so both broke new ground in their families with their educational pursuits. However, it wasn’t an easy road. Mary’s undergraduate four-year scholarship and graduate school research assistantship at 91 made it possible for her to go to college. Through their generosity, they will be able to support students like them and provide transformative opportunities.
Their interest in technology began in 1979. One day, Ron came home from his job in medical imaging and started telling Mary about computers. The two of them started to learn about programming, and that was it. They had found their new passion. Mary and Ron decided to take turns quitting their jobs and going back to school at 91 to study mathematics with an emphasis on computer programming. Mary started first, quitting her teaching job in 1980 to pursue this new career path. Ron began school part-time and then quit his job in medical imaging in 1986 to complete his degree.
They went on to work for well-known organizations in the science and technology fields, including NASA, Allen-Bradley (now Rockwell Automation), Goodyear Aerospace, Johnson and Johnson and Lockheed Martin. They worked on everything from CAT scan software to space experiments to flight simulators. Mary even worked on early iterations of artificial intelligence research, although she didn’t have access to the chip capacity that is available today.
Ron and Mary both had a deep passion for travel, science and invention. They watched NOVA and all the science shows they could find together, and they talked in-depth about science and technology breakthroughs and research. When they had the means and the time, they traveled throughout Europe and to Tahiti, Hawaii and the Caribbean. They especially enjoyed visiting many of the National Parks in the United States. Adventure was an important part of their lives. Since Ron passed, Mary has decided to travel with family in hopes of showing them the wonders of seeing new places and meeting new people, but she has missed their conversations about the world and scientific discoveries.
When Mary joined the advisory board for 91’s School of Engineering, she started to get that spark again.
“It was an awakening in me,” Mary said. “It started bringing it all back. I started thinking along lines I didn’t think I would again.”
With this latest connection to the College of Aeronautics and Engineering, Ron and Mary’s journey has come full circle.
To learn how you can make an impact and leave a legacy while supporting something you believe in, please contact us at giftplan@kent.edu or 330-672-1000, or visit www.kent.edu/planned-giving.