Commencement season is a time to celebrate students for their achievements — and to think about how to support future students.
Associate Dean Kristine L. Bowman leveraged the graduation season to consider the importance of investing in generations of students to come. When updating estate plans with her husband, Bowman designated the College of Education as a future recipient of philanthropic funds.
“As lifelong educators, it was natural to designate gifts to the institutions that had shaped us as students and also to those that have been an important part of our professional lives,” she shared. Bowman is the associate dean for Academic & Student Affairs and a professor of education policy. “For me, that meant supporting the College of Education, which has been my professional home for the past seven years.”
She noted that her connection to the college extends beyond her professional role.
“The college is a community of educators, researchers and learners who mean a lot to me.”
As associate dean, she oversees the distribution of nearly $1 million in donor-funded student scholarships annually and witnesses first-hand the difference philanthropy can make.
“I see again and again how much support like this means to individual students. This gift means that many years from now, I’ll still be supporting our students.”
More than financial gifts, these legacy commitments are powerful expressions of belief in the college’s mission and confidence in the generations of students, educators and researchers who will follow.
“Our Office of Development & Alumni Relations made this so easy to set up and document—I provided a copy of two pages from our estate documents and they did the rest.”
Looking to the Future
In future editions of Inspir(ED), we will continue to share the stories of those who exemplify the giving culture of the College of Education.
Unique as their creators, estate gifts can support scholarships, faculty excellence, innovative programs, research initiatives, or the college’s greatest needs.
While many planned gifts will ultimately benefit students decades from now, their immediate impact begins immediately by strengthening the long-term future of the college.
If you have ever considered including the College of Education in your estate plans—or would simply like to learn more about the process—we would welcome a confidential conversation. Planned gifts can often be established through a will, trust, retirement account or beneficiary designation, and many donors are surprised by how simple and flexible the process can be.
To learn more, please contact Tonya Frisbey, Senior Director of Development, at frisbey2@msu.edu.