Alumni Couple Establish Bequest to Support Sustainability Research at LMU’s Seaver College

Born only two weeks apart, this LMU couple, who wish to remain anonymous, met while studying engineering at what was then Loyola University. They fondly recall their time on campus, some of the most enjoyable days of their lives, and note the robust curriculum gave them the necessary tools to tackle life. They married, launched successful careers and are now focusing on their philanthropic passions.

Having never had children of their own, they “adopted” LMU students by providing scholarships in LMU’s Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering. “We felt it necessary to pay back a university that has given us so much,” the couple said in a joint statement. “The Gospel tells us that to whom much is given, much is expected. So, we started our scholarship endowment in order to give young people the opportunity that we had, and there is no better place for a young person to begin their career than LMU.”

The couple, whose business focuses on the environment, felt that more could be done to address the important sustainability issues facing our world today. Knowing that Seaver College faculty and students collaborate to find innovative solutions to sustainability challenges, such as cleaner coastlines and renewable energy, the couple decided to include LMU in their estate plans; they established a multimillion-dollar bequest that will support sustainability research.

“Planned gifts, such as a bequest, allow donors to support their philanthropic interests by providing future funding to areas that are meaningful to them,” said Dean Tina Choe, of Seaver College. “These anonymous donors have demonstrated their commitment to students’ academic success through their longstanding support of scholarships.”

The couple views the bequest as a way of passing the sustainability torch they carried throughout their careers to others. Funds will provide student awards for advanced work on faculty-mentored projects that directly impact the planet’s sustainability. The couple is proud to give students experiential learning opportunities that can potentially solve some of the biggest challenges facing our planet.

The donors shared the inspiration for their philanthropy: “It is through these students that the world will be changed in a positive way. It is also gratifying to know that our endowment will support future students long after our estate has been disbursed.”

To learn more about planned giving and how an estate gift can benefit future generations of LMU students, faculty and programs, click here.