Annual Giving
Rogers Society Virtual Event Celebrates Excellence and Impact of Planned Giving
“Our aim is to sustain a breadth of excellence across the University,” Northwestern Provost Kathleen Hagerty told more than 100 members of the Henry and Emma Rogers Society.
“Our aim is to sustain a breadth of excellence across the University,” Northwestern Provost Kathleen Hagerty told more than 100 members of the Henry and Emma Rogers Society, who came together virtually in May 2021, for a special presentation from Northwestern’s chief academic officer. This year’s event represented the ninth annual gathering of Rogers Society members and the first to be held virtually. The Rogers Society honors and recognizes alumni and friends who have included the University in their estate plans.
In her keynote presentation, Hagerty provided an overview of the University’s strategic priorities and the values that guide them. The first priority, she said, is to continue to move Northwestern forward through the COVID-19 pandemic—a process that will leverage the lessons learned over the past year. Other key priorities are enhancing the University’s intellectual eminence and impact, continuing to invest in research across all schools, supporting the student experience, and strengthening the people, processes, and systems that support Northwestern’s core work.
Hagerty also reflected on the importance of philanthropy to the University’s continued success and highlighted several planned gifts that have been particularly impactful. She shared the story of trailblazing dentist Julia Bluitt Foster, who served as a mentor and role model to countless students during her career as a faculty member and administrator at Northwestern’s Dental School, which closed in 2001. A bequest from Foster—who was among the first Black women to graduate from dental school— will support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the University.
The provost also spoke about William Madden ’48, whose bequest will create a chemistry professorship at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, as well as long-standing faculty member Jan Achenbach and his wife, Marcia Achenbach ’65 MA, whose estate gifts created several endowed engineering professorships.
The Rogers Society virtual event was emceed by Rogers Society member and University Trustee Paula Pretlow ’77, ’78 MBA, who talked about the importance of planned gifts to Northwestern and expressed appreciation for the generous alumni and friends who have made those commitments. Pretlow joined the Rogers Society in 2016, when she made a commitment through her estate to create the Paula B. Pretlow Social Justice Education Fund at Northwestern.
Since the last gathering of Rogers Society members in May 2019, the society has welcomed 190 new members and recorded new planned gifts and commitments totaling nearly $103 million, said Camille Licklider, executive director of gift planning. Membership now exceeds 1,970, including 32 University trustees. Planned gifts made during We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern total nearly $769 million and touch every school across the University. These gifts fund a wide range of programs—from scholarships and fellowships to pioneering research.
Despite the virtual nature of this year’s Rogers Society event, members had the opportunity to interact with the speakers—and each other—through a moderated question and answer session and small breakout rooms. “We're so happy to have been able to gather virtually this year,” Pretlow says. “We hope we will be able to meet in person next year. Here's to everyone's good health.”
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.