Inspiring Stories

Receiving financial aid as a student enabled me to pursue my dream of becoming a physician. I’ve had a successful career, and now it’s time for me to pay it forward. For my 40th reunion, I funded a gift annuity with life insurance policies I didn’t need any longer. I’ll defer income until I’m 70, which means my gift has time to grow.

It’s important for students to be able to afford an education at Middlebury no matter what their family circumstances. Certainly, that was my father’s experience when he was a Middlebury student in the early 1940s. When I graduated from Middlebury, I had so many doors open to me professionally because of my education, which afforded me critical thinking skills, writing skills, and knowledge of the world.

I worked with the Planned Giving team to see how I could meet my own concerns of having income after I retire while also being able to help Middlebury in a bigger way than I first thought I could afford. They opened my eyes to how I could make that happen.

Fifty years ago, I chose Middlebury for the advantages of small classes, the opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities, and faculty and staff who helped guide me in my post-Middlebury career. These advantages were possible because of the generosity of past generations of alumni. Now it’s time for me to do my part to continue this legacy for the next generation, and to lead by example.

Sue and I chose to donate highly appreciated assets and add to a Middlebury charitable trust that we had established 20 years ago. We’ll benefit from a partial tax deduction and avoid capital gains. When we look at the math, the gift has a very modest impact on our standard of living, but will ultimately result in a very significant gift to Middlebury.

We were married in the Middlebury Chapel, and we return every year to visit! Now our 25th Reunion is coming right up. Middlebury gave us lives filled with cherished friendships and a strong sense of community. We joined the Cane Society to acknowledge how Middlebury fosters connections that endure.”