Why should we support Carleton?

Carleton continues to strive for excellence and today is a leader among liberal arts colleges in its academic programs and in teaching. However, Carleton is not a leader in financial assets, especially endowment size. Our gifts can, and do, make a difference at Carleton and help make the education and fun that we had possible for today’s students. We can help Carleton achieve its goals for enhancing the student experience so that the college can continue to attract and help students from a wide range of backgrounds thrive and succeed at Carleton and beyond. We hope you will join us in continuing that tradition of support, especially to mark our 50th year.

What do most people give in honor of their 50th Reunion?

The goal is for everyone to give the gift or gifts that are most meaningful for them. To help give all of your classmates this opportunity, the members of the Gift Committee learn about the benefits of all the different giving options, then talk with and send mailings to your class to share this information. As a result, the 50th Reunion Class Gift typically includes many estate and life income gifts, in addition to outright cash gifts in all amounts and for a variety of purposes.

We hope you will be as generous as your circumstances permit. But regardless of the amount you decide to give, please be assured that all gifts in support of our overall Class Gift are genuinely appreciated. Your participation in the Class Gift is as important as the amount you choose to give, and your gift amount is only known to development staff.

What is the Class of ’74 Fund? How does it fit into our 50th Reunion Class Gift?

For our 50th Reunion, we can each target our giving toward initiatives at Carleton that are most meaningful to us, with all contributors recognized in our total 50th Class Gift. Guided by Carleton’s aspiration of being an accessible and affordable institution that draws the most talented students from across all backgrounds and income levels, Our Class of ‘74 Fund will support two special initiatives:

  • The Class of 1974 Endowed Scholarship will expand access to a Carleton education for students from the highest need backgrounds. This class scholarship will be matched dollar for dollar by the Carleton Access Initiative, magnifying the impact of our 50th gifts.
  • Gifts to our Class of ’74 Fund will also support the construction of Carleton’s new Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) center. Securing a permanent facility for SHAC is an especially important development for Carleton, as the need for physical and mental health support services has become an even greater area of focus in recent years, particularly since the start of the COVID pandemic.

There are many ways to give to 1974’s Class Fund – or to another college need that strikes a chord for you. Gift committee volunteers are eager to talk with you about the variety of ways to give back.

Are there any options for my gift other than the Class of ’74 Fund?

Yes! Although our 50th Reunion Planning Committee is enthusiastic about both of our ‘74 Class Fund purposes, you can designate both cash gifts and planned gifts towards any specific programs or operations you select. Most frequently, donors choose to support “the greatest need,” as determined by the college administration. As COVID has shown us all, we can’t always anticipate what our greatest needs will be a few years—or even a few months—from now.

My spouse and I are both alumni. How would Carleton count our shared 50th Reunion gift?

Alumni spouses from different Carleton class years receive recognition for the full value of your household commitment in both class’s 50th Reunion gifts.

What gifts are included in our overall 50th Reunion Gift total?

The overall 50th Class Gift includes:

  • All Annual Fund gifts made since July 1, 2018 (our 45th Reunion year).
  • All other types of gifts made since July 1, 2014 (following our 40th reunion) also are included in the 50th Reunion Gift.

The most popular gift types are:

  • Outright gifts to create or add to an endowed fund, to support a particular project, or add to the endowment. 
  • Will or trust provisions and retirement plan commitments, which allow us to plan our gifts today to benefit Carleton later.
  • Life income gifts, such as gift annuities, which allow us to make a gift to Carleton today, receive a tax deduction, and increase our retirement income.

Can any other kinds of gifts be included in that total?

Yes, there are many different ways to give at the 50th. Stock, donor advised funds, insurance policies, art, antiques, real estate, and the income from trusts have all been used to fund 50th Reunion gifts.

How long does it take to arrange a legacy gift?

Depending on how you decide to structure it, a legacy gift can be made in a matter of minutes—for example, by completing the form required by your retirement plan manager to designate a beneficiary of your retirement account. If you want to name Carleton as a beneficiary of your estate upon your death, you should consult your attorney to discuss how best to do so, making sure that you follow the requirements of your state’s law. You may wish to share with your attorney this sample language for including such a provision in your will or trust. Establishing a charitable remainder trust is more complicated and takes more time.

Kelly Rowan (866-208-3889) or Sarah Forster (866-208-3889) of the 50th Reunion staff at Carleton can help you assess your options if you’re interested in setting up such a trust and can walk you through the process.

Who can I contact with questions?

If you have questions that are not answered here, or if you need more information, we encourage you to contact a member of the 50th Reunion staff at Carleton: