Meet Our Donors
Meet Our Donors
On behalf of everyone at Columbus State University, we wish to thank those who have generously supported The University through various planned gifts. Below are a few stories from those who have thoughtfully given to CSU and provided for their loved ones at the same time.
Bill and Nancy Reaves
"Leaving a Legacy Will Help CSU Keep Growing"
Bill and Nancy Reaves have been involved with Columbus State University almost since it was founded—and today they take much pride in the university and how it "enhances the city" and "helps Columbus grow." "We have loved the school for a lot of years," says Nancy. "Our history with the university goes back to its inception. Bill and I started when it was located in the old hosiery mill, and we were there when it opened on the current campus." Her degree is in English; his is in business.
"The university certainly benefited us personally," says Nancy, who taught at CSU for eight years. "It has also played a major role in improving the quality of life in Columbus."
Bill, a local businessman, has been CSU Trustee for 10 years. He and Nancy were co–chairs of the alumni portion of the recent $88 million capital campaign—and they have left CSU a generous bequest in their will. "We have seen the impact the university has had on Columbus and surrounding areas, from both the financial side and the educational side," says Bill. "Its importance to the community is tremendous."
"The university has a vision for working with Columbus to help the city grow," adds Nancy. "We've seen the vision and what it has done—and we really see the benefits for Columbus. The record of the school is so good it's easy for people to give."
Bill and Nancy made their bequest to CSU because "we believe in the university and want to help it help Columbus continue to develop," Bill says. The bequest is unrestricted, so Columbus State can use the money where it is needed most.
"The university does a tremendous job of managing its assets, and we know it (the bequest) will be put to good use," Bill says. "Leaving a legacy will help CSU keep growing. There are very few places your investment will make more of an educational and financial impact."
"We have seen the impact the university has had on Columbus and surrounding areas, from both the financial side and the educational side." – Bill Reaves
Henry W. Swift Jr.
Planned Giving Is "Critical" to the Future of Columbus State
As Henry W. Swift Jr. sees it, Columbus State University is involved in almost every aspect of local life that is important—is a hub around which much of the surrounding community revolves.
"I think of CSU at the center of a wagon wheel," Swift says, "with the spokes representing the arts, economic development, athletic endeavors, education, service, the environment, leadership, culture, and more.
"My hat is off to Columbus State. It's a tremendous institution, so important to the community," says Swift, a member of the CSU Foundation Board of Trustees for the past 17 years.
To help ensure Columbus State's future, Swift was instrumental in shaping the university's planned giving program.
"There is no question," he says, "that planned giving expands your opportunity for giving, and that planned giving is critical to the future of CSU. People are able to make a much larger contribution through their estate—through a carefully prepared planned gift."
Your stage in life, your financial circumstances and your charitable goals will all affect when and how you make a gift. Since a decision to support CSU requires thoughtful consideration, the university offers professional assistance to make sure all of your goals are satisfied. This assistance includes:
- Providing gift plans that benefit the donors and their families
- Offering gift plans that provide a wide ranges of tax benefits
- Explaining how donors can have a meaningful impact on CSU
Effective methods for making a CSU planned gift take many forms, including a bequest in your will, a trust, a unitrust, an annuity trust or a lead trust.
"Most of us, when we die, will pay the government through our estates," Swift says. "Why not reduce the amount you owe the government by making a planned gift to Columbus State?"
"There is no question that planned giving expands your opportunity for giving..." –Henry W. Swift Jr.
Jean Hartin
A Calling to Change Lives
As a young girl, Jean Hartin was inspired by a family friend's stories about how she had helped others in her career as a nurse. "I always thought it (nursing) would be a wonderful calling," Jean recalls. Today, after more than 30 years in the nursing field, Jean herself is an inspiration to those whose lives she has touched through her vocation and through her commitment to Columbus State University.
Jean's aspirations of becoming a nurse began at CSU, where she graduated from its newly established nursing program in 1972. "CSU changed my life," Jean says. After earning her bachelor's and master's degrees in administration from Columbia Pacific University, Jean found her niche at Columbus Regional Healthcare System, from which she retired as vice president of clinical services after 25 years.
In appreciation of her time at CSU, Jean has devoted herself to helping current students change their lives. Her biggest passion is the Servant Leadership Program. As a member of the advisory board, Jean mentors students who are developing leadership skills through service. Jean's other interests include the music department and the education and business colleges. She also travels with CSU's Get–Away Club.
To help ensure that CSU will be able to continue changing lives in the future, Jean has been a longtime CSU Foundation trustee. "It's very worthwhile to be involved in providing for students and staff and the visions of the university," Jean explains.
In addition to her years of service to CSU, Jean is also a generous financial contributor. She is a member of the Tower Society and has designated part of her estate to CSU in her will. "I'm glad that my love of the university and what it is accomplishing for students will continue on in the future," Jean says of her planned gift. She hopes that her actions will call others to give back to CSU when their turn comes. "Only through giving back can the dream continue," says Jean, whose dream of changing lives has definitely come true.
