What's on Your Bucket List?
Burket Graf's bucket list included leaving a legacy at Doane University in the form of an endowed scholarship. Following his death in 2007, Doane University received a distribution from his estate to establish the Burket Graf Endowed Scholarship Fund.
The initial estate gift of $203,548 was invested in the Doane University endowment with the net income designated for scholarships in Burket's name. The fund has already awarded more than $31,000 in scholarships to Doane students. The endowed principal has grown to $271,027, and two students received $5,000 Burket Graf Scholarships this year.
Burket was inspired to invest a legacy at Doane University after attending a school sponsored estate seminar in 1999 where he learned how best to establish an endowed fund with an estate gift.
When planning your estate, giving back to organizations is easier than you may think. Burket, who served on the Doane University Board of Trustees, drafted language in his will to directing Doane University to establish the endowed scholarship fund in his will.
The language is very simple:
I give _____ percent (%) of the residue of my estate [or ____________ and no/100 Dollars ($ _____)] to Doane University, a Nebraska nonprofit corporation, to create The John and Jane Smith Endowed Scholarship Fund, an endowed fund, the net income of which provides scholarship support to Doane University students.
Learn More
Planned giving makes supporting Doane University easy. The appropriate language in your estate plan directs Doane to honor your wishes to support Doane University students in perpetuity.
Giving back through your estate is just one way to make a difference in the life of a student. Visit the Doane University Office of Planned Giving online for more information on ways to give back.
Contact Thom Reeves at 402.826.8284 or thomas.reeves@doane.edu to discuss your legacy at Doane University.