Fall 2025

Beacon

Gift planning information and inspiration for the Tufts community

I had the pleasure of attending the Charles Tufts Society luncheon this year during which Tufts celebrated alumni, parents, and friends who have included a gift to any of the university’s schools in their will or estate plan.

I spoke to many guests and was touched to discover why they are making such a meaningful gift. Each person had a different connection to and reason for giving to the university. They all, however, shared a commitment to excellence, whether in the classrooms, laboratories, studios, or clinics.

I have been part of the Tufts community for more than 20 years and have seen the impact of philanthropy on students, researchers, and clinicians. Thank you, Charles Tufts Society members, for your thoughtful planning. And, to those of you considering making a lasting contribution, I hope you find helpful information and inspiration in this issue of Beacon.

Sincerely,

Kyongbum Lee, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Engineering
Karol Family Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Investing in Tufts’ Faculty

Tufts’ named professorships and faculty fellowships vary in their details, reflecting the needs of individual schools and programs, but they all support the university’s mission of education, research, and engaged citizenship.

Professorships play a vital role in recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty at all stages of their careers, from senior academics to tenure-track academics just starting out. They also help faculty explore a promising but untested idea, publish influential work, present at conferences, and shape academic programs.

In addition to recognizing senior and early career faculty, it’s essential to support those who are midcareer, noted Kyongbum Lee, dean of the School of Engineering. “We should invest more in this important but sometimes underrecognized group,” he said. “They’ve proven their mettle and have the energy and ambition to take off from their early career runway. By investing in them at this critical point, we’re investing in our institutional future.”

Establishing a Legacy With a Professorship

Glenn R. Stevens, E49

Glenn R. Stevens, E49, pictured here, often spoke of the transformative impact of his Tufts education and his desire to give back. His widow, Nathalie Stevens, with the help of their nephew, Alexander “Sandy” Turbyne III, D74, decided to honor Glenn’s wish with a gift in her estate plan.

Working with the Office of Gift Planning and Sandy during her lifetime, Nathalie explored ways her family’s generosity could benefit students and faculty. After her death, her gift established both the Glenn R. Stevens, E49 Scholarship Fund and the Glenn R. Stevens, E49 Assistant Professorship at the School of Engineering.

“My aunt wanted to fulfill Glenn’s vision of addressing critical needs and creating opportunities at Tufts,” said Sandy. “It’s heartwarming to see the incredible legacy she created.”

Charitable Gift Annuities to Celebrate Tufts

Jackie and David Shahood, E67

“My philosophy,” said David Shahood, E67, “is that if you find something of value, stick with it.” That belief has shaped his engineering career, personal investing, and the philanthropic decisions he’s made with his wife, Jackie. In 2017, David and Jackie established their first charitable gift annuity to benefit the School of Engineering and the School of Arts and Sciences. They felt so positive about the benefits of their gift, for both their financial planning and the impact they were making at Tufts, that they have since established three additional annuities. Their annuities provide them with income and tax benefits now and will support the education of Tufts students, including future Jumbo engineers.

“My dad was kind of a self-made engineer,” said David, “who worked his way up at General Electric. He was determined that we were all going to college.” Thanks to his parents’ hard work—and a critical boost of scholarship support—David and his siblings all completed four-year degrees in math or science.

“The most valuable things I gained from Tufts were learning how to ask the right questions and seek out the right answers,” he said. “I also learned not to be afraid to ask for help.”

His Tufts education helped to pave the way for a decades-long career in technical sales at Hewlett-Packard, a company that made a point of hiring “engineers who could talk to engineers,” in all roles. David is proud to have been part of ongoing connections between Tufts and Hewlett-Packard, including helping to recruit talented Tufts graduates.

After many decades in Acton, Massachusetts, the Shahoods are enjoying retirement on Cape Cod, with regular trips off the Cape to see family and attend their grandsons’ hockey games. Giving back is a pleasure and privilege that matters greatly to them both. Through their charitable gift annuities and regular gifts to the Tufts Fund, David hopes to extend the lasting benefits of his Tufts experience to a new generation. “You can never overestimate the value of education,” he said.

Dara Lynn (Sheehan) Freytag, A02, a partner at the law firm Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C., guides her clients to develop and implement sophisticated and tax-efficient estate plans to address their specific needs and goals, including protecting assets for the next generation and minimizing probate.

1. What is estate planning, and why is it important?
Estate planning involves documenting your wishes regarding the disposition of your assets and nominating individuals who will handle matters in the event of your incapacity and/or death. Key estate planning documents include a will, durable power of attorney, health care proxy, HIPAA information release authorization, living will, and revocable trust. If you do not have a plan in place, state law will dictate to whom and when assets will be distributed, which may not align with your wishes.

2. What are the first steps?
Begin by finding an experienced trusts and estates attorney, preferably with a tax background, with whom you feel comfortable working. You and your attorney will (i) review your existing estate planning documents, if any; (ii) analyze your assets, their fair market value, and how title is held; (iii) discuss how you wish to distribute your assets at death; (iv) review the potential tax consequences of your plans; and (v) prepare the necessary estate planning documents.

3. How often should a plan be reviewed?
As your life evolves, your estate plan will change. Review and update your documents annually, and after major life changes occur, such as marriage, divorce, birth, death, or relocation to another state or country. Updates may also be needed after certain business transactions (e.g., sale of a company or transition from a private company to a public company).

4. What are your top tips for successful planning?
First, look at your estate documents, reviewing how assets are titled and whom you named on your beneficiary designation forms. Second, regularly consult your advisors for guidance. Third, ask questions so that you are well informed to make decisions regarding your estate plan.

5. How can someone include charitable giving in their plan?
You can include gifts to charity in your will or trust, or designate a charity as the beneficiary of an IRA, 401(k), life insurance policy, or donor-advised fund. Whatever approach you choose, it’s important to share your intentions with the charity. Reaching out allows you to confirm your wishes can be carried out as you envision and gives the organization the opportunity to say thank you.

Trees with fall colored leaves next to a Tufts building

Many estates include assets that are not transferred through a will or trust to heirs or charities, like assets designated for Tufts. Instead, they are distributed by beneficiary designation form. These assets can be excellent opportunities for giving. They include:

Retirement accounts, such as an IRA, 401(k), or 403(b)
Donor-advised funds
Life insurance policies
Financial accounts such as brokerage, checking, or savings accounts

Typically, a beneficiary designation form from your financial institution is all you need to make a gift using one of these assets. You can direct all or part of the remainder of the asset to Tufts University. If you would like to direct your gift to a particular school or program, contact the Gift Planning team. They can help you document your wishes.

How to Make a Bequest

The sample language and information below may help you and your advisor include a bequest in your will or name Tufts on a beneficiary designation form. You can leave your gift unrestricted, and it will be used wherever it is needed most at the school that is important to you. Or you can direct your gift to a specific area, such as faculty research or financial aid. Contact the Gift Planning team for details.

Sample bequest language

I give [the sum of _____ dollars ($ ) / _____ percent (_____ %) of the residue of my estate] to Trustees of Tufts College of Medford, Massachusetts, for the general purpose and use of the [insert name of specific school at Tufts].

Legal name: Trustees of Tufts College

Address: Tufts University Gift Planning Office, 80 George Street, Medford, MA 02155

Tax identification number: 04-2103634

For more information, please email or call the Gift Planning Office at giftplanning@tufts.edu or 888-748-8387, or visit our website at go.tufts.edu/giftplanning.

The Gift Planning Office is prohibited from giving legal or financial advice, and nothing provided herein should be interpreted as such. We encourage you to consult with your own advisor when considering a planned gift.

Celebrating Cummings School Alums

Anne Stirlen

“Animals have always been a big part of my life,” said Anne Stirlen, a long-time supporter of Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. “All the pets that my late husband, Rick, and I have had, from dogs to cats to horses, filled our lives with joy and laughter.” Anne established the Richard and Anne Stirlen Scholarship to recognize her love for animals and commitment to support veterinary education now and in the future. In addition to supporting the fund today, Anne has included a gift in her estate plan to add to her scholarship.

Anne’s scholarship honors Rick’s memory and celebrates two special Cummings School alums— Meghan DeLucia, V07, and Adam Porter, V08, who have cared for many of their precious pets, in particular their beloved corgi, Jodie. “I am in awe of veterinarians like Meghan and Adam,” Anne said, “and I know that veterinary school can be challenging, financially. I’m very happy to make that path a bit easier, so the recipients can become wonderful vets, helping pets like mine have long, happy lives.”

“Creating the fund was simple,” Anne added, “and the team at Cummings School was so helpful and kind.” Every day, Anne’s cats remind her of the richness that companion animals bring to their families’ lives. These “comical, sweet, loving” friends “are always a delight to come home to.”

A Celebratory Luncheon

Charles Tufts Society members from across the university gathered on June 4, 2025, at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts, in celebration of their philanthropic commitment to the university through their long-term charitable plans.

Guests were treated to remarks by Joshua Else, senior vice president for university advancement, President Sunil Kumar, and Kate Atkinson Kaplan, AG95, A20P, A22P. There was also a special presentation on “The Art in Medicine: How Tufts helps future physicians learn new perspectives” by Sarah Rosenberg-Scott, M06, MPH06, associate professor, Department of Family Medicine, perspectives in medicine course director, Tufts University School of Medicine, and Alonso Nichols, AG22, part-time lecturer, photography, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, and chief of photography, Tufts University.

If you have already included Tufts in your plans, please contact the Gift Planning team so we can welcome you into the Charles Tufts Society.

Peter Delli Colli, A69, D73, Karen L. Regas, Peter J. Regas, A73, D75A, Stephen Muzrall, Senior Director of Development and Alumni Engagement, School of Dental Medicine

Kate Atkinson Kaplan, AG95, A20P, A22P and President Sunil Kumar

Nancy Hooker Lattimore, J66, AG71, Ann Yelmokas McDermott, NG02, Jay McDermott, and Gresh Lattimore, F65, F70, FG72

Your IRA Is a Powerful Tool for Giving

Did you know a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) can benefit both you and Tufts? If you are age 70 ½ or older, you can make a QCD, up to $108,000 in 2025, directly to Tufts. The annual limit is indexed for inflation each year.

Benefits

Fulfill the IRS’s required minimum distribution
Exclude the gift from your gross income for federal tax purposes
Support a school or program at Tufts that is important to you

To learn more about making a QCD or to let us know that you have already included Tufts in your plans, contact us:

888-748-8387

giftplanning@tufts.edu

go.tufts.edu/giftplanning

Tax Law Changes

Several provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act may affect the tax benefits of your charitable giving in 2026. Now may be a great time to revisit your giving strategy. Consider making a gift by December 31, 2025, to maximize your financial and philanthropic impact. To learn more, visit go.tufts.edu/giftplanning.