Posted May 27, 2026 in Articles
A Conversation between Dr. Lorry Wagner and Constance Karapelou
Across a 40-year career in engineering and energy, and earlier as a championship swim coach at Cleveland State University, Dr. Lorry Wagner has focused on one principle: “building teams that achieve more together than individuals ever could achieve alone.” Lorry was named a Distinguished Alumnus and “Catalyst of Change” by his alma mater, Purdue University. Yet among his many professional achievements, he counts his years as a competitive swimmer and head coach of the women’s swim team at CSU among the most meaningful.
I recently spoke with Lorry about his time at CSU and the inspiration behind his legacy gift.
How did you become a swimmer and coach?
“I gravitated toward the water from the time I was five years old,” Lorry recalls. Growing up in Miami Beach, swimming was not just recreation—it became a way of life. By high school, “it was the only thing I wanted to do.”
Lorry moved with his family to Cleveland Heights during his grade school years. After graduating high school, he accepted his first coaching job at the Forest Hills swimming club.
Attending Purdue University, more coaching opportunities followed, including assistant coach of the women’s swim team. There, success followed, including two All-Americans who walked on to the team. “That’s when I wanted to learn everything I could about the sport,” he says.
What are your most memorable accomplishments at CSU?
Lorry was hired by former CSU athletic director Robert F. Busby, for whom the Natatorium is named. When he accepted the coaching position at CSU, expectations were clear—to win the conference. “I took that challenge seriously,” he says.
Under Lorry’s leadership from 1985-1991, the team won the conference twice—the only conference championships in the history of the women’s swimming program. Yet his most meaningful accomplishments had little to do with trophies. “It was watching the athletes succeed—academically and athletically,” he explains. In his final year at CSU, the team set eleven school records. But again, the numbers were not the point. “It was seeing those athletes realize what they were capable of,” he says.
How did coaching CSU students change your life—and theirs?
Lorry’s appreciation of CSU grew through discovery and getting to know the “outstanding” faculty. “CSU offered nationally respected programs and deeply invested educators. That realization really stayed with me,” he says. “I am proud to remain a part of it.”
Coaching at CSU reshaped how Lorry understood mentorship and partnership—a partnership that extended beyond the pool. Many athletes struggled through demanding degree programs such as physical therapy and nursing. When discouragement hit, he encouraged persistence. “It’s just like anything in life,” he would tell them. “You keep moving forward.”
Lorry has remained friends with many of the former students he coached, witnessing their successful transition from college athletes to professionals.
Why did you include CSU Women’s Swimming in your estate plan?
The decision started simply—with a lane-naming opportunity at the CSU pool and a conversation about legacy giving. “Putting CSU in my will just made sense,” he says. It offered him a way to give without immediate financial strain and provide support for swimming programs which often lack visibility and funding.
He most recently increased the amount of his bequest to CSU to establish an endowment. “That felt like something lasting—something that would continue. It is about supporting a program I still love.”
What do you find most meaningful about your philanthropic giving?
He describes legacy giving as freeing—less transactional, more reflective. “When you think long-term, it changes how you look at giving,” he says. “You’re not taking anything away from your family—you’re extending your values.”
Philanthropy has taken on new importance as public support for higher education has declined in recent years. “I can’t make up for declines in state funding,” he says, “but my gift is one way to put another piece of the puzzle together. Giving back just feels right.”
Cleveland State is grateful to Dr. Lorry Wagner for his estate gift, and for leading our student athletes on to greater experiences. Visit our website to learn more about how to leave your legacy at CSU, or contact Constance Karapelou, Senior Director of Gift and Estate Planning, at 216-875-9838 or c.karapelou@csuohio.edu.
