Our planning committee is ringing in our 50th Reunion Year with an exciting gift challenge! We are asking you to join many of us as Heywood Society members by providing for Carleton in your estate plans.
As Mike Hartung has recently shared, joining the Heywood Society is easy to do and can have a big impact. There is no minimum to join, you can choose to direct your estate gift to initiatives you care about, and all commitments will be recognized as part of our 1975 class gift at Reunion.
The Planning Committee has set a goal of adding 35 members to the Heywood Society by June 2025 to reach a total of 75. For every classmate who makes a planned gift, or who notifies us that they have already provided for Carleton in their estate plan, the Committee will add $5,000 to the Class of ’75 First at Carleton Fund, up to $125,000.
There are many ways to include Carleton in your plans. You could make the College a beneficiary of an IRA, insurance policy, or Donor Advised Fund. Perhaps you’re interested in learning more about a gift annuity or unitrust, which could provide you with income now and a gift for Carleton later. Or maybe you’d like to discuss how you can include a provision for the College in your will or trust.
However you are thinking about the possibility of joining the Heywood Society and unlocking these challenge dollars, staff are ready to discuss what options may be the best fit for you. Email Sarah Forster or Kelly Rowan, or call (866) 208-3889.
What is the Heywood Society?
Carleton honors Joseph Lee Heywood and his service to the College through the Heywood Society, which recognizes the loyalty of those who have made a commitment of future support (a planned gift). Planned gifts are those made as part of your overall financial and/or estate planning. In many cases, these gifts provide tax advantages and even an income stream for you and/or loved ones. During the 50th Reunion, these generous commitments are recognized in the Class Gift total for the very first time.
Who was Joseph Lee Heywood?
Joseph Lee Heywood served as Carleton’s volunteer treasurer and a bank officer at the First National Bank of Northfield during the infamous James-Younger raid in 1876. Despite repeated threats from members of this notorious gang, he refused them access to the vault and was fatally shot. He was heralded locally and nationally for giving his life to prevent the robbery and protect the College’s resources. His name has been synonymous with uncommon loyalty ever since.
More than a century later, we honor both Heywood and those who embody his spirit and allegiance by showing exceptional devotion to the College. Through their gifts of future support, Heywood Society members pledge to safeguard Carleton’s excellence in liberal arts education for centuries to come.
Learn more about ways our fellow alumni have included Carleton in their estate plans here. You’ll likely see some familiar faces!