Gaylen (Jake) ’72 and Maureen Jacobson Provide $500,000 Gift to Simpson

Simpson College is proud to announce a $500,000 gift from Gaylen (Jake) ’72 and Maureen Jacobson to support the health, performance and overall well-being of Simpson’s student-athletes.  

The generous gift will establish the Jacobson Athletic Performance Initiative, a comprehensive effort designed to strengthen available resources focused on optimizing physical, mental and nutritional health for Storm athletes in all sports.  

“The Jacobsons’ initiative is a transformative investment in the whole student-athlete,” Director of Athletics Jason Mulligan said. “It will give Simpson athletes access to resources that are often associated with much larger athletic programs at higher levels. More importantly, it demonstrates to our students that Jake and Maureen believe in them, care about their experience and want to help them reach their full potential.”  

A Simpson Athletics Hall of Famer, Jacobson was a standout in basketball and lettered in golf during college. His Simpson success story goes well beyond impressive athletic achievements.  

“I went to Simpson to play basketball and pursue my goal of becoming a teacher and coach, but my time there became so much more,” said Jake, a Greenfield, Iowa native. “Over the years, I have come to realize just how much my Simpson experience has meant to me. Coach (Dick) Starr, my basketball teammates, my professors, and my ATO fraternity brothers provided me with incredible opportunities and lifelong friendships.”  

Jacobson devoted 30 years to coaching both boys and girls high school and youth basketball in Iowa, which included starting the 5-on-5 girls’ program at South Tama County High School. The former teacher also coached golf for 20 years and distinguished himself in business as owner-agent of Independent Insurance Services of Central Iowa, Inc., for 40 years. Jake says he and Maureen are thrilled to play a game-changing role in enhancing experiences for Storm student-athletes.  

“We wanted to give back to the Simpson community that gave us so much,” said Jake. “After meeting with a group at Simpson, we were inspired by the Athletic Performance and Nutrition initiative. We are fully committed to supporting this program to help current and future student-athletes and coaches perform at their best, while creating their own lifelong memories and friendships.”  

The Jacobsons’ gift will provide immediate improvements while also creating sustainable support for Simpson’s student-athlete performance programs. Planned investments include:  

• Modernizing the Simpson weight room with new racks, platforms, strength equipment and upgraded training tools.

• Strengthening sports-performance staffing and resources to provide student-athletes with greater individualized attention.

• Developing a comprehensive sports-nutrition program, including professional guidance and education.

• Enhancing the refuel station offering protein, hydration and other recovery-focused nutritional options.

• Expanding access to sports-psychology and mental-performance resources focused on confidence, resilience, preparation and overall well-being.

• Supporting sports medicine, recovery, injury prevention and rehabilitation.

• Establishing long-term funding through the Gaylen ‘Jake’ Jacobson ’72 and Maureen Jacobson Athletic Performance & Nutrition Endowed Fund to help sustain athletic performance resources for future Simpson student-athletes.

Together, the investments will create a more integrated approach connecting sports performance, nutrition, sports medicine and mental performance. Additional information regarding the initiative, including project plans and implementation timelines, will be announced as those details are finalized.