The Relationship of Philanthropy

By Sandi R. Bliss, Chief Advancement Officer

As a college student, I never understood where my scholarships came from. I knew the university awarded a scholarship, however I never realized that it was because of someone else’s generosity I had this extra resource. As a first-generation college student, I could not have made it through college without the scholarships I received. My story is not unique and is true for so many of our cadets. However, here’s what makes their story different from mine and so many others: we make sure cadets know who their donors are. The relationship between Corps and the donors who have invested in its future success is critical to our continued growth. Below I hope you will see why this relationship matters.

*Don’t forget Giving Day 2023 is Feb. 15 starting at 12 pm EST through 12 pm Feb. 16. Please join Corps family and friends in some friendly competition. If you want to give early to be counted in Corps participation, let us know.

WAYS TO GIVE

Reach out to the Corps’ advancement team to discuss how you’d like to help play a role in the Corps’ continued success.

Special Naming Opportunities

If you are interested in investing in the fantastic new Corps Leadership and Military Science Building, there are a few naming opportunities available starting at $25,000. All naming opportunities can be obtained through a five-year pledge. Be sure to secure your legacy naming soon; we open in the fall of 2023. We now also have 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. The distribution amount is approved by the Virginia Tech Foundation board each year. Endowments can be created with a minimum gift of $100,000.

Annual gifts of any amount can make an immediate impact. They can be made once or arranged to be made 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 2023 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. There is also now a way for you to pledge $10,000 a year for five years to have your own named scholarship during those five years.

Non-Cash

You can support the Corps in many other ways. You can donate securities such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. You can also donate real estate, including both present and future interests, and you can donate gifts-in-kind of tangible property, such as works of art or historic memorabilia.

In Memory / In Honor

Scholarships, endowed positions, Corps facilities, or programs can be named in memory of a special individual. Gifts may be made to honor a loved one or someone who inspires you. All of these opportunities can be made through a 5-year pledge.

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 to see if your company provides matching contribution. Our matching gift web page at givingto. vt.edu/match can help you find out.

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. 

Leave Your Legacy in the Corps

Throughout history, Corps of Cadets graduates have left their names and class years in pencil on the bricks of Lane Hall. Now, you can leave your mark on a brick plaque in the new Corps Leadership and Military Science Building. We’ve actually used images of the Lane Hall bricks to make these one-of-a-kind plaques.

Here’s how it works: Donate at least $2,500 to any Corps of Cadets non-endowed fund, such as the Commandant’s Priorities Annual Fund, between March 10, 2020, and March 10, 2025. That’s just $500 a year. Once you reach the $2,500 total giving threshold, we will send you a sample inscription to approve. The inscription will include your full name, class year, and Corps company on three separate lines. You can choose our typeface or your own handwriting. (Because of space limitations on the plaque, we will be unable to add titles, honorifics, military rank, or nicknames.) Each brick plaque must be tied to a single giving record, and we must limit one plaque to each record. The $2,500 threshold can only be counted once to an individual giving record. If you are giving to honor a friend or loved one in addition to your own brick plaque, please be sure that $2,500 donation is tied to that person or another family member’s giving record. We are unable to count company matches toward any $2,500 giving threshold. The brick plaques will be featured in a special place in the Corps Leadership and Military Science Building, expected to open in 2023. Give now to ensure your name is in place for the dedication ceremony.

The process of acquiring information and printing Brick Plaques can take months to complete. The deadline to have your brick completed in time for the fall Corps events each year is May 1 to reach $2,500 threshold and Brick Plaque name and details received by June 15. The deadline for Spring is November 1 to reach $2,500 threshold and Brick Plaque name and details received by December 15. Please note we will reach out to you after the cutoff dates listed above once you have reached the $2,500 and are ready for your Brick Plaque details.

For more information about any of these opportunities, please contact the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets advancement team today at 540-231-2892, vtcc@vt.edu, or vtcc.vt.edu/give.