While many alumni contribute to the School of Education's annual fund, for some, a deferred gift is a special opportunity. Gifts to SUSE may be designated to a particular area (e.g. financial aid), or may be unrestricted, in which case they are used for high priority needs and unexpected opportunities. Numerous vehicles for deferred gifts (e.g. retirement funds and real property) are often overlooked. The legal staff at Stanford's Office of Planned Giving (800-227-8977) can provide technical information and help donors decide if a planned gift is right for them. Those who make planned gifts are welcomed into Stanford's Founding Grant Society if they so choose. All funds that come to the Stanford University School of Education in this way help ensure that the learning, research, and teaching agenda continues at the highest level of excellence in perpetuity .

This past February, Mr. and Mrs. Black, who attended SUSE in the 50s, decided to memorialize Mr. Black's recently deceased sister in some way. They thought of selling their $200,000 worth of appreciated securities, but realized that the capital gains tax due would be substantial. Instead, he and his wife chose to establish a gift annuity at Stanford. As a result, they owe no capital gains tax, and they are eligible for a tax deduction. The Blacks have instructed that the principal, from which they will receive a guaranteed annual income during their lifetimes, will eventually come to the Stanford University School of Education in honor of Mr. Black's sister.

Mr. Johnson recently established a trust, which will provide both for his heirs and for the School of Education. The support for Stanford will be designated for teacher education. "My degree has been a positive factor in several arenas," he says. My teaching career was important, but most meaningful of all, I think, were the people who taught me. By including SUSE in my estate plans, I express my appreciation for what SUSE meant to me professionally and personally."

Dr. Smith, a PhD student at the Stanford University School of Education during the 1960s, now has a life threatening illness. As she was putting her financial affairs in order, she thought about the psychological studies in education program at SUSE and the faculty who had made such a difference in her career. She decided to bequeath her home to the Stanford University School of Education. With this plan, she carries out a specific intention: qualified students who have financial need and who wish to pursue psychology and education will have the same opportunities that she herself had when she entered this important field of study. Her bequest will result in one or more named fellowships.

PAT NICHOLSON
Associate Dean of External Relations
e-mail nicholson@stanford.edu