The Class of 1976’s 50th Reunion Gift

The 50^th Reunion Class Gift is an important tradition at Colgate University. It provides us with a unique opportunity to celebrate this milestone for the Class of ’76 and contribute to our class legacy. We hope you will join your classmates in marking this special anniversary by participating in our class gift and helping us reach our goals, all to benefit Colgate and its students.

Our class gift has three sources:

1. Annual spendable gifts (Colgate Fund and Colgate Athletics Fund)
2. Capital / Endowment Gifts
3. Planned Gifts for institutional priorities

All gifts count toward Campaign for the Third Century, which surpassed the $745 million mark toward its $1 billion campaign goal at the end of June 2025.

Annual Spendable Gifts

Gifts to the Colgate Fund benefit every student and every program on campus. Your support makes it possible for students from all backgrounds to access a Colgate education, for faculty to create transformative experiences, and for the University to achieve its ambitious Third Century goals. 

The Colgate Athletics Fund generates philanthropic support necessary to build upon Colgate’s rich history of excellence in the classroom and in Division I Athletics. Funds are used at the discretion of the Athletics Director to benefit all student-athletes and teams and help develop an overall athletics culture that fosters excellence, pride, character, and spirit. 

We urge each of you to make an annual spendable gift a priority this, and every year. If you have an IRA, consider making your gift via a tax-free Qualified Charitable Distribution.

Capital and Endowment Gifts

As you know, Colgate’s Third-Century Plan is a long-term roadmap to guide actions and resources across all parts of the University in service of a significant transformation of Colgate. Under the Third-Century Plan, Colgate will enhance its academic programs, complete its campus, attract and support new levels of talent, and fully realize Colgate’s potential to become a national leader.

Here is a link to information on the Plan:  https://thirdcenturycampaign.colgate.edu/

Your gift in support of one of the Third Century priorities will help Colgate realize its ambitions and help our class in the process. You can read more at https://thirdcenturycampaign.colgate.edu/.

Planned Gifts

Planned gifts are a great way to contribute to the 50th Reunion Gift, especially if you want to make a meaningful donation without an immediate monetary payment. These gifts can be made through your estate, and there are several different options to choose from:

• Gifts through your will or trust: You can name Colgate University as a beneficiary in your will or living trust.
• Gifts from retirement accounts or life insurance: You can designate Colgate as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), or a life insurance policy.
• Gifts that provide you income: Some planned gifts, like a charitable gift annuity or charitable trust, can actually provide you with income in return, along with potential tax and estate benefits.
• Gifts of assets: You can donate non-cash assets, like real estate, which may help you avoid capital gains taxes.

All of these options can be customized to fit your personal financial situation and are an important part of our 50th Reunion Gift. The Colgate Planned Giving Office is ready to help you explore these choices.

Watch this helpful video for more information about planned gifts.

How Our Class Gift Is Determined

Our overall 50th Reunion Class Gift is the total of all outright and planned gifts made in the years after our 45th Reunion, as well as all pledges paid in installments over the next five years. Because they count at age 70, all bequest intentions (estate provisions shared with Colgate since graduation) are also included. This total includes all gifts to any designation, including the Colgate Fund, as well as capital and endowment projects.

Participation

We have set an ambitious participation goal for our class in honor of our 50th Reunion year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). With your support, we can reach 76% participation this year. Every gift matters!

Check back here from time to time; we will share updated information on our progress as we move forward toward our Reunion next June.

Sincerely,

’76 Class Gift Committee

Harry Horwitz and Sue Shibel Horwitz (Chairpersons)
Lynn Weiner Anderson
Patricia Apelian Aitken
Madeline T. Bayliss
Joseph C. Costanzo
James L. Elrod Jr.
Sally Frazee
Kevin C. Glynn
Robert A. Kindler
Steven W. Matson
Amr Nosseir
Jeffrey A. Oberg
Stephen W. Solomon
Joanne D. Spigner