Finance Grad Gives Two Ways Now and Later

Consider giving "now" and "then."

"Like me, they come from middle class families, they work hard, they do well and they want opportunity."
—Julie Peck '94

Many people postpone charitable giving because they perceive their gift to be less impactful now than it could be in the future. They not only underestimate the power of their gift in combination with others, they miss out on the gratifying results of philanthropy.

Julie Peck '94 is not letting that opportunity go by. The UW-Eau Claire accounting and finance graduate opts to support students now through a scholarship, and later, by leaving a remainder of her estate to the university.

"Immediately, I can see that my gifts are benefitting students. Like me, they come from middle class families, they work hard, they do well and they want opportunity, which I am happy to help provide," Peck said.

As a freshman, Peck said she was grateful to receive the Wisconsin Academic Excellence Scholarship, which her sister also received in 1995. The WAES, awarded by the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, is available to incoming freshmen in the top 5 percent of their class and with a high ACT score. Peck not only received the standard scholarship amount, she received additional funds for the remainder of her tuition from a donor. She plans to do the same so future students have the support they need to achieve their goals. Peck graduated from UW-Eau Claire magna cum laude and went on to receive her MBA at the University of Notre Dame. She is now the global HR compliance director for Johnson Controls in Milwaukee, Wis.

"Leaving the remainder of my estate trust to the Foundation works because it is just that-the remainder-after all of our family's other foreseeable needs are addressed. So, we won't even miss it."

Peck said she is so impressed by the ways the Foundation is using charitable gifts to directly improve student experiences and opportunities that she recently joined the Foundation's board of directors.