President recognizes Heritage Society donors
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Donors (from left to right) Richard Lopez, Joan Sieber, Judy Huey, Judith Stanley and Diana Schaufler with President Mo Qayoumi (center).
- June 1, 2009
President Mo Qayoumi hosted an afternoon tea May 21 to express thanks to supporters of ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥. The president and his wife, Najia Karim, welcomed almost 50 guests to recognize the Heritage Society, an honorary group of donors who have named the University in their estate plans by making planned gifts.
Planned gifts often take effect after retirement or death. But the long-term benefit to the university is eventually the same as an outright gift, according to Anthony Macias, the director of planned giving for University Advancement.
“A planned gift may be a good way to show support in a down market,” said Macias. “When people think of planned gifts they often think of wills, but they may take the form of other vehicles as well.”
In addition to bequest intentions, such as those in a will, other estate plan options include charitable gift annuities, in which an individual makes a gift and receives a fixed amount of cash each year in return. These annuities, based on the value of the donation, generate an income stream for the donor or a designated recipient, like a spouse or dependent.
Judith Stanley, professor emerita of history, established CSUEB’s first charitable gift annuity, which will be used to create the Judith M. Stanley Scholarship Fund in Women’s History. With the help of scholarships, she and her brother were the first in their family to attend college. As a faculty member, Stanley developed the first course in women in American history at ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥.
For many attendees, the tea was a chance to enjoy the sunny weather in the Hayward hills and connect with other supporters and donors. Special guest alumnus Gary Zimmerman, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, gave an informal speech about the current financial situation, nationally and globally, and answered questions from other attendees in an informal Q&A session.
Zimmerman, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from CSUEB, has worked at the Fed since 1973. He has also written several articles and been a guest lecturer in the College of Business and Economics. Though generally optimistic about prospects for a gradual economic recovery, Zimmerman described the events of the past year as “amazingly unusual circumstances.”
For some attendees, like Judy Huey, the event was also an opportunity to evidence support. Huey, a senior vice president for Wells Fargo Advisors, is an alumna active with the university. She recently included ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ in her estate plan.
“ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ is important to me. I am hoping that my future gift to the university will inspire others to look at CSU East Bay as a worthwhile organization in which to invest,” she said.
In the 2008-09 fiscal year, the university has received four new deferred gifts, raising the total of planned gifts to 27. “Even in the face of challenging times, this positive trend is a tribute to the generosity of the university’s donors and their belief that ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ can help make the future better” Macias said.