“Steve Ford exemplifies what it means to be a Villanova lawyer—a successful corporate leader who remains dedicated to serving the greater good,” said John Y. Gotanda, dean of the Villanova University School of Law. Stephen D. Ford ’73 VLS and his wife, Mary, have committed a $1 million planned gift to the law school, through a life insurance policy. The gift further endows The Stephen D. and Mary C. Ford Scholarship, established by the couple in 2010 to support an incoming first-year student from New England who is deserving of assistance because of academic merit and/or financial need and who demonstrates an interest in public interest legal work. “Through the further support of this scholarship, Steve and Mary are helping to ensure that future Villanova lawyers have the opportunity to follow in their footsteps, continuing the Villanova tradition of leadership through service,” said Dean Gotanda.
“My experiences at Villanova Law School—especially with Deans Reuschlein and O’Brien, the faculty, and my classmates—impressed upon me that hard work would pay dividends. As a recipient of financial support as a law student, it was only fitting that I give back in a way that enables others to pursue their dreams,” said Ford.
A dedicated alumnus, Ford has been a master in the Villanova Law J. Willard O’Brien American Inn of Court, served as co-chair of the Leadership Gifts Committee for the Campaign for Villanova Law and volunteered in many other capacities. He and Mary are also members of the 1842 Heritage Society.
An avid marathoner, Terry Delaney has learned the value of pace, balance and long-term results, and he now applies those principles to his philanthropy. Through the use of a life insurance policy, Terry is extending the impact of his contributions so tomorrow's Villanovans can benefit from a gift that wouldn't be possible today. A former member of the track and cross-country teams, Terry reflects on his time at Villanova with great pride and gratitude. "Villanova had a massive impact on my life, and it especially influenced the trajectory that I took in my career," he says.
He credits his teammates, friends, professors and the overall Villanova community with helping to shape him into a confident and assured professional. But most importantly, he is mindful of those who supported Villanova while he was on campus. Those individuals inspire him to give back today.
"There are people before me who gave up their time and money for me to have a great experience at Villanova, and now I'm that guy," he says.
Terry was making annual contributions to Villanova, but he decided to step up his support in honor of his 30th Reunion. After some discussion with his reunion gift officer and the Office of Planned Giving, Terry took a clever approach to giving that provides both immediate and long-term support.
Terry made a 5-year pledge and divides the support between the Annual Fund, which would address the University's most pressing needs, and a life insurance policy that will provide what Terry calls an "impact gift" in the future.
A life insurance gift was something Terry had never previously considered, but once he learned about the benefits and how he could fund a policy that would pay out six times the amount he put in, he knew it was the right move. "I hope the University perpetuates itself," he says. "If my annual giving can get us to 200 years, then I hope my legacy gift will bring us another 250 years."
As a young married couple, Mary-Helen and Tim McCulloch have done a lot of thinking about their future, including their decision to make a planned gift to Villanova. The couple is leading the way for those in their generation to take advantage of this approachable form of giving.
It's fitting that a couple so committed to Villanova met at a Villanova basketball game. Tim was there selling Villanova corporate sponsorships; Mary-Helen was there to cheer on the Wildcats, and they sat just a few rows apart. A fateful blizzard kept other fans at home, so the two began chatting. Two years later, the couple wed at St. Thomas of Villanova Church on the University's campus.
As the couple began their life together, they looked for ways to give back to the University that held such an important role in their lives. A dedicated member of the Young Alumni Circle, Mary-Helen gives back to Villanova each year. Her annual contributions provide consistent support for Villanova's most pressing needs, but when she married Tim, the couple decided to build upon that foundation with additional forms of giving. After considering their options, they decided to make a gift of retirement funds, designating a portion of their savings to go to Villanova upon their death. "Many people, especially young alumni, are not aware of how easy it is to make this kind of gift," Tim said.
The planned gift will extend the life of Mary-Helen and Tim's philanthropy, yet it costs nothing upfront. At the same time, the couple enjoys immediate benefits like networking opportunities and special events that are exclusive to members of the 1842 Heritage Society."Villanova has given us some of the most positive academic and social experiences of our lives," Mary-Helen says. "A gift from our retirement account was the easiest and most impactful way to give back to the school that continues to be such an important place to us."
As one of the earliest residents of Sullivan Hall, Robert Merkert, Sr. EE '59, President of RM Industries, Inc., fondly recalls the connections he made. "I loved the classmates I had; we were all very close. Many of us lived on the third floor of Sullivan, which mostly housed engineers. I also had many 'day-hop' friends. Two of my closest friends at Villanova, Dave Roop EE '59 and Bill Valitski EE '59, were also groomsmen in my wedding," he says. "Many of us return to campus every five years at reunion time."
As a student, Merkert immersed himself in engineering-specific activities, serving as editor of The Villanova Engineer and president of what is now known as the Villanova chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, among others. "I attended Villanova early on in the days of computers and transistors. At the time, we were more focused on power engineering," says Merkert. "Professor Joseph Hicks helped us get into transistors and computer electronics, drawing on his experience in industry. He also shared business insight that was important for us after college." Merkert's gratitude for Professor Hicks' influence lives on in the Professor Joseph J. Hicks University Scholarship that he and wife Margaret endowed in 1996.
The Merkerts are also giving back to Villanova through a simple process and with a gift that costs them nothing during their lifetime. The Merkerts are members of the 1842 Heritage Society, because they have included the College in their will. "We can't take it with us. In thinking of what the school has done for us, we want to help future generations," he says. "We hope the funds directed from our will can be used to either increase the amount of funding for the recipient of our scholarship or allow the College to identify additional students who may benefit those who have good grades but who may not be able to attend Villanova without additional financial assistance." "We should all consider giving back to Villanova because we have received so much. Without the strong education, Catholic upbringing, and ethics and morals training, we may not have done as well as we did," he says.
Click here to learn about the simple steps you can take to name Villanova as a beneficiary of your will, trust, retirement plan, life insurance policy or financial accounts. For more information, email the Office of Planned Giving or call us toll-free at 800-486-5244.
The above story was adapted from A Heartfelt Legacy, written by Carly Keeny, in the spring 2012 issue of the College of Engineering magazine.