The Impact of Gifts - Gift Planning

The financial aid Lenore Maruyama received at the UW-Madison is one reason she has made student support a priority in her giving.

Few of us can resist a golden retriever. Big, lovable, friendly. After living with five goldens, John and Linda Nelson designated a planned gift for cancer research in the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Jeff Russell has seen what philanthropy can do on campus, and that’s a big reason he and his wife, Vicki, support the UW-Madison.

Even though he graduated from Northwestern University, Robert P. “Bob” Gleason has always held the University of Wisconsin-Madison, particularly its athletic teams, close to his heart.

With the proceeds from selling two condominiums in Vail, Colorado, Ed Drager created charitable remainder unitrusts through the UW Foundation. The unitrusts help his current financial situation and eventually will benefit UW-Madison.

G.R. “Duke” Williams is a hands-on kind of guy, but he finds that it makes sense for the University of Wisconsin Foundation to handle an increasing percentage of his portfolio through gift annuities.

A favor that a coach did for young Richard Sierzant (’67 BS EDU) is being repaid through an athletic scholarship endowed through the alumnus’ will.

UW-Madison alumna Martha Pavcek taught grade school in the Milwaukee area. She made one gift of $50 to her alma mater while she was alive. After her death in 2009, Pavcek’s estate made a gift of more than $2.7 million to be divided evenly between support for stem cell research and veterinary medical students.