Donors Create Enduring Student Legacy Through Estate Planning
(Santa Ana, CA) – With nearly $2 million in planned gifts established during the past 15 months, the Santa Ana College Foundation (SAC Foundation) today launched The 1915 Society, which provides a formal program for planned giving and allows generous donors to create an enduring legacy for students.
“Santa Ana College has long benefitted from the vision and generosity of donors including us in their wills, legacies and their estate planning, and now The 1915 Society establishes a streamlined process for donors in our community to connect with SAC in a meaningful way and to ensure their legacy gift is directed as they intend, whether that means funding a favorite department, creating a new program, endowing a scholarship, or more," said Dr. Annebelle Nery, President of the 110-year-old community college campus.
In recent months, private donors have worked with the SAC Foundation on estate planning to fund projects near and dear to their hearts, including scholarships for STEM and LGBTQ+ students,urgent action funding and for those students studying counseling, performing arts and criminal justice.
“With The 1915 Society's simplified and engaged process for planned giving, legacy donors – including alumni, faculty and friends of Santa Ana College – can fully realize their passion projects across our campus, knowing their gifts and legacy,will live on long after they are gone," said Christina Romero, Executive Director, SAC Foundation.
Recent planned gifts to the SAC Foundation include funds for the college's Veterans Resource Center, STEM scholars and the greatest need fund, as well as for the Ed Fosmire Scholarship, named for the late Assistant Art Professor and funded by his aunt, Jeanne Heyerick; as well as an endowment from Michael O'Neill and Frank Correia to establish a named scholarship for LGBTQ+ students. O'Neill and Correia learned about Santa Ana College through their long-standing relationship and friendship with Nery.
“Just by hearing about the outstanding programs at Santa Ana College and the resiliency of our students, these generous donors are choosing to include Santa Ana College in their estate planning, which is a gift that endures for future generations," said David Valentin, President, SAC Foundation Board of Directors and former Santa Ana Police Chief. “We have the deepest respect for those who make plans for these meaningful legacy gifts and are deeply excited about all the growth to come in this space."
All previous donors who dedicated planned gifts to Santa Ana College through their wills or estates will be added to The 1915 Society, Romero said. In the future, legacy donors can work with dedicated staff for specialized consultation, including guidance on how to establish their gifts.
Donors who make planned gifts benefit from various tax and estate planning advantages, depending on their age, the timing of their gift, and the giving vehicle selected, Romero explained. Gifts may be made through a variety of planned and deferred giving options, as well as current gifts of cash or stock.
“We are here to help those who want to use their estate or will to ensure the success of Santa Ana College and our students as we power the intellectual, technological and workforce needs of our community," Nery said. “We are deeply honored to have these conversations and to help donors make these truly profound gifts to ensure access to higher education for future students."
Members of The 1915 Society receive various benefits, including invitations to special events and a personalized Legacy Brick placed in Centennial Circle on campus as well as other recognition and opportunities to be closely connected to the Foundation and the College. For more information about the SAC Foundation and The 1915 Society, visit givetosac.org/sac-foundation-1915-society.
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About Santa Ana College:
Santa Ana College (SAC), founded in 1915, serves more than 70,000 students annually. At present, SAC students can work toward completing an associate degree, university transfer, career/workforce training or a bachelor's degree in occupational studies. As part of Santa Ana College, the School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center offers free classes throughout the community for adults of all ages and academic backgrounds. SAC is an award-winning college and was recently ranked as one of the nation's top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students and named one of the best community colleges in California by Intelligent.com. The college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and medical personnel. SAC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District
