How many people do you know who can raise three children under the age of four years old – including twins – and pursue a college degree at the same time? Still, do you know of anyone who created her own wedding dress and all of her bridesmaids’ dresses from a bolt of parachute silk, all within two months time? That’s exactly what Clothing and Textiles major Amy Roberson did more than fifty years ago.

Amy (B.A., ’54, Home Economics) and her husband, John (B.S.,’48, Civil Engineering), have been giving to Washington State University for almost 40 years. Recently, the couple established scholarships for students following in their footsteps at WSU. The “Amy Jean (Allen) and John A. Roberson Endowed Scholarship” is for sophomores, juniors or seniors majoring in Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles, Human Development or Human Nutrition.

“We hope to help other young students just starting on their careers,” Amy and John explain.

Amy’s love of fabrics goes back to childhood, when she made her first pajamas from flour sacks. She went on to make her junior and senior high school and college wardrobes, silk wedding dresses, children’s clothing, tailored suits, wool shirts, and quilts.

Amy is a member of Kappa Omicron Nu, the human sciences honorary society.

Married in 1947, Amy and John grew up on farms near Woodland, Wash., where both graduated from Woodland High School in 1943. They served in the Navy during World War II, and then enrolled at Washington State College in 1946.