Educator’s planned gift starts effort to endowed chair in economics
May 14, 2026 — As Steve Buckles ’65 was nearing graduation in 1965, his Grinnell College professor saw something in Buckles he hadn’t yet seen in himself: that he would thrive in the academic world of economics as a professor.
Growing up in Kansas City, Kansas, Buckles saw Grinnell College as the region’s premier liberal arts college and felt fortunate he was able to attend. Studying economics was a given, and he developed a close, collegial relationship with economics professor Robert Haverman.
Steve Buckles ’65
Buckles, however, was determined to go to business school, regardless of Haverman’s advice. He was miserable at N.Y.U’s business school. He reconnected with Haverman after a year, who convinced him to apply to graduate school, which he did at Haverman’s alma mater, Vanderbilt. That decision started Buckles in a lifelong vocation in economic education that he loved, eventually bringing him back to Vanderbilt to teach for 29 years.
In appreciation for his formative Grinnell experience, Buckles pledged in 2004 to give at least $1 million of his estate to Grinnell. When he passed away this January, the planned gift totaled $2.5 million. Half of the funds are unrestricted. The other half is a leadership gift for an endowed faculty chair in economics. It’s a strong start for the fundraising effort, which aims to raise $5 million in total. A new endowed chair in economics will recognize the discipline’s enduring popularity at Grinnell and celebrate the meaningful personal connections that enable students to thrive.
“Steve felt like Grinnell was the entire reason he had the career that was so meaningful to him,” said family friend Beth Bradford. “If not for meeting Robert Haverman, who invested in him and encouraged him, he would not have realized he was meant to be a teacher. His Grinnell experiences really set his course.”
With a Vanderbilt master’s degree in hand, Buckles first worked at the Council for Economic Education for five years as a fundraiser and chief executive. He earned a Ph.D. at Vanderbilt in 1976, then went on to hold various positions at the University of Missouri, Columbia, before returning to Vanderbilt in 1994 as an economics faculty member. He retired as a principal senior lecturer and professor emeritus of economics in 2023.
Teaching was a good fit, and Buckles was known for his sense of humor and generosity. He deeply appreciated inquisitive students with good questions and loved the back and forth in class. Nothing was as rewarding to him as watching students get excited about learning and applying a new concept.
“Steve Buckles was an imaginative, engaging, dedicated teacher of economics,” said Malcolm Getz, Vanderbilt professor of economics, emeritus, in a Vanderbilt article about Buckles. “With nearly 30 years teaching the large introductory courses, he may have taught more students than any other faculty member in Vanderbilt’s history. He was an international leader among teachers of economics at all levels.”
Economics professor Robert Haverman is shown in a 1964 photo that appeared in the Scarlet & Black. He and a group of students were having coffee and informal discussion in the Carnegie Caucus room.
Involvement in national and international organizations were important to Buckles. The National Economics Challenge for high school students is one prominent example. As lead test writer and head judge, he brought academic rigor to the competition and helped it grow into one of the nation’s most respected student events.
Buckles was awarded the Elzinga Distinguished Teaching Award (Southern Economic Association) and the prestigious Madison Sarratt Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (Vanderbilt ). He was recognized by many alumni as their favorite teacher.
On a trip together last summer, Bradford remembers that Buckles was stopped in an airport by a former student who had recognized him from 20 years prior. The student told Steve he was the best professor he ever had and thanked him for instilling confidence in his own career choice. He then told Beth and other plane passengers that they were traveling with a professorial rock star.
Buckles was married to his Vanderbilt classmate, Mary Parker Harmon, for 54 years, until her death in 2024. His Grinnell roommate and friend, Palmer Hartl ’65, performed their wedding service. Steve was a generous donor to Grinnell, served on his Reunion Class Committee from 2014-19, and attended numerous reunions.
“At 82, Steve still had such fond memories of and deep gratitude for his Grinnell experience,” Bradford said. “He hoped that supporting the endowment for an economics professor would help attract or retain the kind of professor he got to experience, and that he modeled his life after.”
—by Kim Kobersmith
For your information:
If you would like to contribute toward the new faculty chair in economics or want to discuss making a planned gift to Grinnell College, contact Buddy Boulton, Grinnell College director of planned giving, at boultonb@grinnell.edu or 641-269-3248.
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