Establishing a CSE Fellowship
To compete for the best and brightest graduate students, we increasingly rely on the generous support of alumni, friends, and industry partners to fund graduate student fellowships.
Endowed fellowships are important for the future of the College of Science and Engineering and its students, as they provide permanent, ongoing support through income earned on the endowed funds.
- Endowed fellowships, which are established with gifts of $25,000 and above, begin to generate fellowship funding once the full level of the endowment is realized.
- The College of Science and Engineering endowment is professionally managed and invested for growth through the University of Minnesota Foundation. The college's endowment spending policy preserves and increases the value of the endowment, and a portion of the interest earned on the principal, currently 4.5%, is used to fund the fellowship.
By protecting the principal investment, the endowment provides fellowship support in perpetuity, which over time, will increase as the value of the principal increases.
A gift of.... Provides a permanent annual fellowship of....
$250,000 $11,250
$500,000 $22,500
$750,000 $33,750
$1,000,000 $45,000 - provides a full fellowship
- When you establish a fellowship at the College of Science and Engineering, you will be invited to participate in determining the criteria for the award. For example, you may wish to consider giving preference to graduate students working in a specific area of research, or to students with some other distinguishing characteristic. The college will be happy to assist you in deciding what the student qualifications should be for fellowship support.
You will have the opportunity to name the fund in your own name, in honor or memory of someone, or in the name of your company. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to meet the student recipient of your named fellowship when possible, which is a meaningful occasion for students and donors alike.
Ways to fund an endowed fellowship
- An endowed fellowship may be funded through an outright gift to the college, paid in a lump sum or over a period up to five years. For instance, a $100,000 endowment may be established through a gift of the entire amount, through five annual installments of $20,000, or through some other pledge payment plan. Given recent market fluctuations, you may wish to time your payments according to increases in the market.
The college if flexible and will accommodate you in any way possible. After the endowment is established, additional gift to the endowment may be given at any time to increase the endowment principal.
- Many donors find that it is often advantageous to make gifts of appreciated property or securities to the college. By making a gift of appreciated securities, you can save income taxes twice. First you save by receiving a charitable deduction for the current value of the stock. Second, you save by eliminating payment of capital gains tax on the stocks increased value.
- You may also endow a scholarship through a deferred gift, such as a bequest, life income gifts (charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust, etc.), life insurance, or qualified retirement plan assets.
