Annual Giving
Rogers Society Luncheon Highlights the Impact of Planned Gifts
Nearly 130 members of the Henry and Emma Rogers Society attended the group’s sixth annual luncheon on May 17, 2018, in Scott Hall’s Guild Lounge on Northwestern’s Evanston campus
There, they heard from Jim Phillips, the Combe Family Vice President for Athletics and Recreation, before taking a tour of the recently opened Ryan Fieldhouse.
The Rogers Society recognizes alumni and friends who have included the University in their estate plans through charitable bequests, gift annuities, insurance policies, and other forms of planned gifts. The society currently has approximately 1,900 members, 71 of whom joined between April 2017 and March 2018. Since last year’s luncheon, the University has received 89 new planned gifts and commitments totaling $40.5 million dollars.
University Trustee Martin J. (Mike) Koldyke welcomed luncheon attendees and shared Northwestern’s appreciation for its generous alumni and friends.
Phillips reinforced the impact that planned and outright gifts have on Northwestern Athletics in particular, highlighting projects that have been completed thanks to donor support. He gave as examples the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, Rocky and Berenice Miller Park, Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium, Chap and Ethel Hutcheson Field, Ryan Fieldhouse, Wilson Field, and the Walter Athletics Center, plus the forthcoming Welsh-Ryan Arena. “Many of these facilities would not have happened without you,” he asserted.
Phillips also talked about the achievements of Northwestern’s student-athletes, including the program’s 97 percent graduate success rate, which leads the Big Ten.
“Our job every day is to provide a world-class experience academically, socially, and athletically for over 500 Wildcats,” he said. “A part of that is providing the best in competition, practice, and developmental facilities to support their growth, just as we invest in libraries, laboratories, and classrooms.
“Your generosity does not only support necessary capital investments. It directly supports the educational experience afforded to our young men and women through endowed scholarships. Your support of these scholarship has made and is making an enormous difference, and allows us to plan for the future with confidence.”
Phillips shared the story of the late Judy Buntain ’60, a donor whose gifts to Northwestern Athletics have made a difference in the lives of several student-athletes.
“Because of her thoughtful planning, we were able to create the Judy Buntain Memorial Scholarship,” he said. “The scholarship has been awarded to six different student-athletes since her bequest was received in 2010.”
Phillips noted that Buntain designated part of her estate gift to the Wildcat Fund—an annual giving initiative that provides resources for teams and coaches to travel and recruit, and for Athletics to provide students with academic support—as well as the Vice President’s Fund, which allows the program the discretion to fund the critical special needs that arise.
“Our university is capable of greatness because of great people, and it’s capable of generosity because of generous people,” Phillips said. “This generosity has come in the form of both outright and planned gifts like the ones that each of you have made, and I say thank you.”
Robert ’70, ’81 MBA and Charlene Shaw ’70, were among the Rogers Society members at this year’s luncheon. The Shaws share a love of Northwestern that dates back to when they first met as students on the Evanston campus. Now retired, the couple holds season tickets for Northwestern theatre as well as football and basketball. In addition, they attend lectures through the Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Studies and Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, among others.
Longtime supporters of Northwestern Athletics, the Shaws also are members of the “We Will” McCormick School of Engineering Campaign Committee and co-chaired their 45th Reunion Committee. The couple’s recent gifts to the University have supported the Farley Directors Endowed Fund, the Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI) Research Support Gift, and the Science in Society Fund. They also have made planned gifts toward the endowment of a master’s PhD program as well as general funding for diverse programs.
The Shaws consider themselves fortunate to be able to give to Northwestern in a meaningful way and choose to put their gifts toward a variety of initiatives, making giving decisions based on where they feel they can make the most impact.
“When a program starts and it’s doing well, we like to see it continue and grow,” Robert Shaw says.
The Rogers Society Luncheon culminated in a tour of Ryan Fieldhouse and Wilson Field, which was dedicated in April and now serves student-athletes in sports ranging from lacrosse to football; the facilities also will be used to host special events such as Dance Marathon and the President’s Convocation. Afterward, members took in a Northwestern baseball game at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park, home of Koldyke Field—named for luncheon speaker Mike Koldyke and his family.
For more information about the Rogers Society and its benefits or to discuss making a planned gift to Northwestern, contact the Office of Gift Planning at 800-826-6709 or giftplanning@northwestern.edu.