Making a Difference

By Angela Hayes, associate vice president for advancement

The Corps has experienced some extraordinary successes over the last several months, due in part to the wonderful generosity of our donors and friends. We achieved a campaign milestone of nearly $58M raised for the Corps and have reached more than 73% of the overall campaign goal. We celebrated the official opening of the Corps Leadership and Military Science Building, honored our donors during the Corps breakfast, and introduced new scholarship opportunities for our growing Corps. This semester has been nothing short of phenomenal! Thank you for setting the stage and creating an enduring foundation for our future leaders and sustaining tradition. It was also a privilege to connect with so many alumni during Corps Reunion and Highty-Tighty Reunion and to also acknowledge the impact of 50 years of women in the Corps, who continue to inspire, support, and transform.

As we look toward our goals for the remainder of the fiscal year, I encourage you to mark your calendars and plan to have an active role in Giving Day 2024, scheduled for 24 hours beginning at 12 p.m. EST Feb. 21 through 12 p.m. EST Feb. 22, 2024. Please join the Corps family and friends in some friendly competition! For those who wish to give early to be counted in Corps participation or create a Giving Day Challenge, please contact us and we will follow up with you directly.

WAYS TO GIVE

The Corps’ advancement team would love to connect with you to discuss how you would like to help play a role in the Corps’ continued success. Please contact Scott Lyman (540-231-2805, rlyman@vt.edu) or Angela Hayes (540-231-7676, anhayes1@ vt.edu) for more information.

Special Naming Opportunities

A few naming opportunities starting at $25,000 remain available in the new Corps Leadership and Military Science Building. Secure your legacy naming for years to come. We also have available naming opportunities in each of the residence halls along with a few other special opportunities on Upper Quad.

Endowments provide a dependable, perpetual source of funding for things such as cadet scholarships. Endowed gifts are invested and each year a percentage of the return is made available to the university to support critical Corps initiatives. Endowments can be created with a minimum gift of $100,000 and the benefits will last in perpetuity.

Annual gifts of any amount can make an immediate impact. They can be in the form of a one-time gift or set up on a convenient, recurring basis. Gifts to the Commandant’s Priority Fund of $500 or greater automatically sponsor a first-year cadet in the fall or spring. Through these contributions, you can be counted for Giving Day 2024 and work toward the $2,500 cumulative threshold needed to earn a Brick Plaque. The deadline to earn a Brick Plaque is March 10, 2025. In addition, your gift commitment of $10,000 a year for five years will create your named current-use scholarship during those five years. 

Non-Cash

There are many other ways to support the Corps. You can donate securities such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. You can also donate real estate, including both present and future interests, or certain gifts-in-kind of tangible, personal property.

In Memory / In Honor

Scholarships, endowed positions, Corps facilities, or programs can be named in memory of a special individual. Gifts may also be made to honor a loved one or someone who inspires you. Contact our team to learn more!

Employer Matching Gifts

Many Corps donors are employed by companies that encourage donations to higher education. Donors who wish to support the Corps often can provide more substantial support with the assistance of a matching gift company. Before making your gift, please check givingto.vt.edu/match to see if your company provides matching contribution.

Gift Planning Options

There also are many additional options for leaving a powerful, smart legacy through planned gifts to the Corps. Are you interested in a fixed income that could include the avoidance of capital gains taxes? Are you looking for a way to use the best asset choices for gifts to family and the Corps? We encourage you to reach out to find what fits best. There are several options, such as designating the Corps of Cadets as the beneficiary of a will, trust, retirement plan, or life insurance policy. You may also use a charitable IRA rollover to make a gift that can count toward your required minimum distribution without it being taxed as income. Utilizing a gift model that can provide an income such as a charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder annuity trust, charitable remainder unitrust, or a charitable lead trust may fit your donation desires. Another option is creating a Donor Advised Fund to maximize tax benefits now and recommend charitable gifts for many years to come. If you are interested in pursuing one of these charitable options, we can connect you with a member of our Gift Planning team for next steps. We value your continuing support of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets!