Former Blugold Swimmer Pays It Forward

One of the easiest ways to leave a legacy with your alma mater is through a bequest in your estate documents. It is a fairly straightforward process. When working with your estate-planning advisor, you simply decide whether the bequest is a designated amount or percentage of your estate, and how you want the funds to be used by the university.

Mary Jo Ferris, a 1983 UW-Eau Claire graduate, was motivated to do something tangible to show her deep gratitude for her education. She decided to designate the UW-Eau Claire Foundation as a beneficiary in her estate.

Despite living in California, Mary Jo, an outstanding Blugold swimmer had remained somewhat connected to her alma mater. She has been making generous gifts to support the swimming team and the university's management and marketing programs. She met regularly with Foundation staff and had received information about giving and estate planning for a number of years.

In 2011, Mary Jo notified the Foundation of her estate plan that included a $100,000 bequest to support the greatest needs of UW-Eau Claire at the time it is received. Her reasons for making an estate plan were guided by the goals she and her husband have for philanthropy.

"Living far from the university, it is a challenge to feel connected," said Mary Jo. "However, no matter how far away you move from Eau Claire, that Blugold link is very strong and very deep. I loved being a member of the swim team where I established lifelong friendships. My modest estate gift, which means a great deal to my husband and me, is a way I can say, 'Thank you.' It also means that I can pay it forward to help future students obtain the same wonderful education I received."

When making any giving plans that involve UW-Eau Claire, always make sure you are designating it for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Foundation to ensure your gift is received, managed and used locally for the university's direct benefit. If you already have included the Foundation in your estate plans, or are considering doing so, please contact Michele Olson at 715-836-3526 or olsonmma@uwec.edu.