Heritage Society recognizes patrons of the university

Heritage Society members Patti Finegan and Steve Sharf stand with President Gary Russi at Meadow Brook Hall.

More than 20 members of the Oakland University Heritage Society recently were honored at Meadow Brook Hall and Gardens for generous gifts to the university.

The Heritage Society, the university’s giving society, recognizes donors who have made planned gifts to Oakland. Currently, membership includes more than 90 individuals.

During the luncheon, which featured comments from university President Gary Russi and Vice President for University Relations Susan Davies Goepp, attendees learned about a 4.1 percent increase in fall 2009 student enrollment, which marked the 12th straight year of enrollment growth at OU. Goepp suggested that donors have contributed a great deal to this successful trend.

“You are here because you are a member of a unique group of individuals who have chosen to provide support for Oakland,” she said. “We honor you today for your generosity, which makes a tremendous difference for our students and faculty, and the institution as it continues to develop leaders for future generations.”

Heritage Society members have made gifts to a variety of areas including endowed scholarships, research endowments and academic program support. The gifts have come through wills and estate plans, as well as from annuities and life income gifts that leave a lasting legacy and will be responsibly cared for in the future.

Heritage Society members and others considering planned gifts to the university are encouraged to contact Planned Giving Director Pat Zawadzki, who can provide counsel and advice about how to structure a bequest. These generous acts will help ensure the university’s vitality long into the future, she said.

“Your gift will have a future impact for our students as they achieve their dreams of an education, and our faculty who continue to distinguish themselves and the university through innovative research and teaching,” Zawadzki explained. She can be reached by phone at (248) 364-6129 or via e-mail at zawadzki@oakland.edu.

For more information about giving to Oakland, visit oakland.edu/donate.