Class Gift
Class of 1976 Challenge: Leave Our Legacy
Celebrate our milestone anniversary by participating in our 50th Reunion Class Gift. This Colgate gift tradition brings our class together to build a legacy that benefits generations of Colgate students.
Every gift makes a difference as we work toward two bold 50th Reunion Challenge goals:
- Reach 76% class participation, a record-breaking goal set by our gift committee. (July 2025 – June 2026)
- Through our collective giving, double the $3.55 million already pledged by a group of generous classmates. (December 2025 – June 2026)
As of May 12, just over 66% of classmates have made a gift since July 1. We can reach 76% with 50 new donors!
Thank You to Our Challengers
Chase ’76 and Wendy Carey
Rich Conti ’76
Mark Hempton ’76 and Lorie Dunne ’76
Verne Shortell ’76 and Stephen Harvey
Our Class of 1976 50th Reunion Gift
Individually, we can each direct our gift to areas most meaningful to us. Collectively, we will have extraordinary impact across all areas of the University.
Our classmates have been supporting The Colgate Fund, financial aid (The Colgate Commitment), academic departments, athletics, campus programs, and more. Many have been inspired by Colgate’s Third Century priorities.
All of our donations count towards our class gift:
- Outright gifts (cash, securities, tax-free IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions) are put to work right away.
- Pledges can be paid over five years.
- Planned gifts allow you to make a meaningful donation without immediate payment. To explore options customized for your personal situation, contact the Planned Giving office.
Join us!
We can leave a legacy worthy of our remarkable class. See FAQs below for more information.
Sincerely,
’76 Class Gift Committee
Harry Horwitz and Sue Shibel Horwitz (Chairpersons)
Lynn Weiner Anderson
Patricia Apelian
Madeline T. Bayliss
Joseph C. Costanzo
Sally Frazee
Kevin C. Glynn
Robert A. Kindler
Steven W. Matson
Amr Nosseir
Jeffrey A. Oberg
Stephen W. Solomon
Joanne D. Spigner
How to Make a Gift to Colgate
Online
Donate Online Here
Phone
1-800-668-4428
Mail
Colgate University
P.O. Box 313
Canajoharie, NY 13317-0313
Here’s an easy-to-follow Primer on 50th Reunion Gift options.
For more information
Contact Michelle Jacobsen, Class of 1976 Staff Fundraising Liaison, at mjacobsen@colgate.edu.
For planned giving information, contact Andrew M. Coddington P’25, acoddington@colgate.edu, Associate Vice President for Advancement & Director of Planned Giving
50th Reunion FAQs
(Click to expand for answer.)
Online: Donate Online Here
Phone: 1-800-668-4428 during business hours
Mail: Please send a check to our secure lockbox at:
Colgate University
P.O. Box 313
Canajoharie, NY 13317-0313
Visit https://www.colgate.edu/give/ways-give for additional ways to make a gift including stocks, donor advised funds, and more
- Outright gifts (cash / securities, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions)
- Pledges documented with a Statement of Intent
- Estate and Life Income Gifts: Bequests and IRA designations; gift annuities and other life income arrangements; and gifts of assets, such as life insurance. Attaining Age 70 within the five-year counting period, a documented bequest intention will count for the 50th reunion.
- Any gift (outright or planned) that you made in the four years leading up to the Reunion year (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2025)
- Any gift (outright or planned) that you make in your Reunion year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026)
- Any pledge, provided that it is documented during your Reunion year made for the four years following your Reunion (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2030).
You can give to any campus initiative that is meaningful to you. We hope you will consider designating at least some of your gift in support of the Colgate Fund, where needs are greatest, but your 50th reunion gift is an opportunity to make an impact on what matters most to you – whether that is an endowed fund, capital project, sports team, or other.
Any gift that you make during your 50th reunion, and any documented pledge or planned giving as described above will be included in the totals for the Campaign for the Third Century. Essentially, any gift or pledge documented for the ten year counting period will count for the Campaign for the Third Century.
Planned gifts provide many options to participate in your 50th Reunion Gift: gifts that can come through your estate – via your will/revocable trust or by beneficiary designation from your IRA or life insurance – or gifts that provide you income in return, such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable trust, or gifts of illiquid assets, such as unneeded real estate. Each can be tailored to your needs. Planned Gifts will be a vital component of our 50th Reunion Gift and for meeting the priorities of the Plan. Colgate’s Planned Giving Office is ready to assist with your philanthropy.
Michelle Jacobsen, Class of 1976 Staff Fundraising Liaison mjacobsen@colgate.edu.
For planned giving: Andrew M. Coddington P’25, acoddington@colgate.edu, Associate Vice President for Advancement & Director of Planned Giving
Charitable Estate Planning Webinar
Hosted by Colgate’s Planning Giving Office
I am sure many of you are like me and thinking about personal, financial, and philanthropic goals. So when Colgate offered a philanthropic estate planning webinar for our class, I decided to attend and I am really glad I did. The representative from TIAA (Laura Alexander) was very knowledgeable and included many possible strategies – who knew there were so many options! Her detailed descriptions gave me a much stronger sense of what might work best for me. It’s definitely worth your time to watch. ~ Cynthia Perry, ’74