Uncategorized Archives

Alumni and friends of all ages harness the power of their IRAs to strengthen Wheaton’s future.

Your IRA is more than a retirement account. With a few smart moves, this powerful financial tool can amplify your charitable giving to Wheaton, provide lifetime income for you or your loved ones and offer valuable tax benefits for both you and your heirs.

Many people assume that leaving their IRA to family or heirs can be a great way to pass on wealth. But there’s a catch: inheriting an IRA can create a significant tax burden for your heirs, perhaps placing them in a higher tax bracket. Distributions from inherited IRAs are generally taxed as ordinary income, which can reduce the amount your family actually receives.

There are smarter ways to leave a lasting legacy and reduce taxes—give all or a portion of your IRA to a qualified charity—like Wheaton.

You can also use your IRA to fund a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA), which provides fixed lifetime payments for you or your spouse. Cheryl Caswell ’71 recently used this smart philanthropy strategy and was thrilled to support scholarships for deserving Wheaton students while receiving a steady income for life.

Here’s how it works.

Giving through your IRA at any age

Consider naming Wheaton, or any qualified charity, as a full or partial beneficiary of your IRA by giving a percentage or a fixed amount.

Your heirs won’t owe income taxes on the portion left to the charitable organization but would be taxed significantly on the portion left to them.
If Wheaton receives your IRA upon your death, there is no income tax on that transfer.
Leave a legacy at the college to support future Wheaton students.

Giving through your IRA at age 70 1/2

You can start withdrawing your IRA funds at age 59 ½ without incurring penalties, but you will be charged ordinary income tax on your withdrawal.

However, once you reach 70 ½, the IRS allows you to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), which is a direct transfer from your IRA custodian to a qualified charity.

As of 2025, the QCD provision allows you to transfer up to $108,000 in total from all your IRAs to one or more charities of your choice each year.
QCDs are tax-free transfers from your IRA to a qualified charity. You will not have the ability to take a charitable deduction on this gift.
For 2025, you can use a QCD—up to $54,000—to establish a CGA. Using a QCD to fund a CGA can only be done once during your lifetime and can benefit only you or your spouse.
If you choose to use a QCD to fund a CGA, you will not be taxed on the money withdrawn from your IRA. You will not receive an income tax charitable deduction for any portion of your gift. Also, the payments from your QCD-funded CGA will be fully taxable as ordinary income.

Giving through your IRA at age 73 and up

You must take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from your IRA starting at age 73. These distributions are fully taxable as income.

It is essential to know the difference between a QCD and an RMD: an RMD is a must while a QCD involves a choice.

Making a QCD can satisfy your RMD and help you avoid large tax bills.
You can continue using your QCD to give up to $108,000 per year directly to charities—including Wheaton—without paying taxes on the distribution.
You can still exercise the one-time option to utilize your QCD—up to $54,000—to fund a CGA, if you have not already done so in your lifetime.
Efficient use of QCDs and RMDs maximizes your philanthropic impact while minimizing tax consequences for both you and your heirs.
There is no obligation to match your QCD amount with your RMD amount. You can choose to do a QCD for any amount you wish—up to $108,000 in 2025—but the amount you choose isn’t necessarily tied to your RMD.
- Example 1: Kevin’s RMD is $75,000—below the 2025 permitted QCD amount of $108,000. Kevin plans to use a QCD of $75,000 to satisfy his RMD and make a gift directly to Wheaton from his IRA. He will not be taxed on his Wheaton gift.
- Example 2: Melissa’s RMD is $125,000—above the 2025 permitted QCD amount of $108,000. Melissa plans to use $108,000 of her QCD to make a gift directly to Wheaton from her IRA, fulfilling all but $17,000 of her RMD. She will not be taxed on her $108,000 gift. She plans to take the remaining $17,000 of her RMD as ordinary income. Melissa will be taxed only on the $17,000.

Learn more about the power of your IRA and h ow to establish a life income gift from an IR A on our planned giving website. Or contact the Office of Planned Giving.

Note: Wheaton does not provide legal or tax advice, and the information provided is general in nature and should not be considered legal or tax advice. Consult with an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.

Originally published at: https://wheatoncollege.blog/on-campus-announcements/philanthropy/the-superpowers-of-your-ira-no-cape-required/

DAFs are growing in popularity as a smart way to give current and planned gifts to Wheaton. What can a DAF do for you?

When Linda Zug ’69 discovered she could increase her Wheaton giving through her DAF, she didn’t hesitate—she was thrilled to give back to the college that had given her so much.

Like Linda, many generous members of the Wheaton community have learned that giving through a DAF is effortless, joyful and one of the easiest and rewarding ways to strengthen Wheaton as a leading liberal arts institution.

This joy of giving is part of a much larger trend. According to the Fidelity Charitable 2025 Giving Report, donors are increasingly turning to DAFs to fund their philanthropic giving. The total number of Fidelity DAFs has surged from around 80,000 in 2015 to over 217,000 in 2024—an increase of 171%!

Donors at Wheaton and across the country are discovering how DAFs allow them to see the impact of their giving now while ensuring their support continues for generations—and you can too.

What is a DAF?

A DAF is a flexible charitable account that allows you to support the nonprofits and causes important to you.

5 benefits of establishing your DAF

Tax Advantages: Receive an immediate deduction, avoid income taxes and enjoy tax-free investment growth.
Flexibility: Support any qualified public charity, one or many, on your own schedule or through recurring gifts.
Simplicity: Enjoy the ease of a DAF, with lower costs and far less administration than a private foundation.
Strategic Giving: Consolidate several years’ worth of charitable contributions into one year to maximize your tax deduction.
Meaningful impact: Experience the joy of giving. Recommend grants to Wheaton and the causes you love, knowing each gift helps create meaningful change.

Turn your generosity into action with a DAF

Use cash, stock or other assets to create your DAF at a sponsoring organization (e.g., Fidelity Charitable or National Philanthropic Trust).
Once the fund is established, you can recommend grants to Wheaton or other qualified charitable organizations at your discretion.
The funds in your DAF are invested and grow tax-free.
Support Wheaton in the future—your DAF succession or beneficiary options*:
- Name a successor advisor(s)
  - This could be one or more of your children, other family members or trusted individuals.
  - They will continue recommending charitable grants from your DAF, keeping your philanthropic intent alive at Wheaton and your other favorite qualifying charities.
- Name one or more charitable organizations to receive the remaining balance
  - You can instruct that your remaining funds go directly to a specific charity or charities—like Wheaton.

* If you do not name a successor or beneficiary, your DAF may become an “orphaned donor-advised fund” of your sponsoring organization (e.g., Fidelity Charitable or National Philanthropic Trust) and become an unrestricted asset. Then your DAF organization will decide which charitable causes will receive your funds.

Learn more about DAFs on our planned giving website. Or contact the Office of Planned Giving.

Originally published at: https://wheatoncollege.blog/on-campus-announcements/philanthropy/donor-advised-funds-dafs-making-an-impact-at-wheaton/

Cheryl Caswell ’71 made Wheaton College giving history as the first alumna to use her IRA Qualified Charitable Deduction (QCD) to fund a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). She also makes current gifts through her Donor Advised Fund (DAF). Cheryl’s giving strategy benefits both her and Wheaton by fulfilling her philanthropic goals to support a rich liberal arts experience for all students.

“Looking back, I feel very lucky to have graduated from Wheaton. My friends and I have fond memories of college, and we keep those wonderful memories alive through sustaining the cherished lifelong friendships we made while at Wheaton. Our college years were instrumental in shaping our dreams and goals for the future. Donating to Wheaton College ensures that I will be able to help students develop theirs as well. As I have gotten older, it’s natural to think more about the importance of ‘giving back’ and ‘leaving a legacy.’

Supporting Wheaton student scholarships enables me to fulfill the personal goal of contributing to a rich, liberal arts educational experience for deserving students. I’m fulfilling a dream of being a part of something ‘larger’ than myself—what better way than through the gift of education? I firmly believe in trying to make my ‘little corner of the world’ just a little bit better, and this helps me accomplish that goal as well.

I’ve donated to Wheaton’s Annual Fund for years, and during our 50^th Reunion year in 2021, I increased my annual donation with a 5-year pledge, becoming a member of the Mary Lyon Leadership Society. I make annual pledge payments and gifts through my DAF. It’s so easy!

In December, I made another donation using a tax-deductible Qualified Charitable Distribution from my IRA to set up a CGA.

Recently, I was shocked to learn that I was the first person to use this funding vehicle at Wheaton. I have designated this contribution to support student scholarships at the college.

Thank you, Wheaton, and keep up the great work!”

—Cheryl Caswell ’71

What is a charitable gift annuity?

A charitable gift annuity is a gift made to Wheaton that can provide you a secure source of income with fixed payments for life. You can make a one-time QCD of up to $54,000 from your IRA to Wheaton to establish a CGA.

Is using a QCD from your IRA to set up a CGA right for you?

Depending on your financial and philanthropic goals, a charitable gift annuity might be a great way for you to support Wheaton.
IRA owners 70½ years of age and older are eligible to make a QCD using their IRA.
If you are 73 or older and must take your required minimum distribution (RMD), a QCD can satisfy your RMD without increasing your income, tax-free.
A QCD can satisfy all or part of a donor’s annual RMD.
You can make a one-time QCD of up to $54,000 from your IRA to Wheaton to establish a CGA and receive lifetime fixed payments for you and, if you choose, for your spouse.
The payout for charitable gift annuities will vary depending on your age.

Learn more about charitable gift annuities on our planned giving website. Or contact the Office of Planned Giving.

Originally published at: https://wheatoncollege.blog/on-campus-announcements/philanthropy/a-wheaton-first-alumna-establishes-a-gift-annuity-with-her-ira/

Testing

Blog Post

Originally published at: https://maintenance-wheaton-college-blog.pantheonsite.io/academics/computer-science/mz-test-blog-post-10-14/

What is Lorem Ipsum?

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

Originally published at: https://test-wheaton-college-blog.pantheonsite.io/academics/km-test-post/

John Sutyak
Member-at-Large
Alumni Board of Directors

Professional Background
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics & Recreation, University of Southern Maine (May 2025–present)
Director of Athletics, Husson University (2023–2025)
Director of Athletics, Ferrum College (2020–2023)
Director of Athletics & Recreation, Wheaton College (Mass.) (2011–2019)
Associate/Assistant Director of Athletics, Wheaton College (2006–2011)
Assistant Administrator for Varsity Sports Operations & Athletic Facilities, Yale University (2005–2006)
Intern, Varsity Sports Operations, Yale University (2003–2005)
Assistant Sports Information Director/Area Coordinator for Res. Life, Wheaton College (2002–2003)
Committee Member (volunteer), Great Rivers Greenway, Community Action Committee (2024–present)
Treasurer (volunteer), Wheaton College Model United Nations Alumni Association (2022–present)

Professional Honors & Awards
National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators Board of Directors (2024–present)
Board of Directors, Maine Sports Hall of Fame (2022-present); Secretary (2024–present)
NCAA Nominating Committee (2022–2025), Chair (2025)

Academic background
B.A., American history, Wheaton College (Mass.), 2000
M.Ed., Springfield College, 2002

Why I’m Serving on the Alumni Board of Directors
I am excited to give my time to our alma mater in a meaningful way, and in a way I haven’t had the opportunity to do before.

Originally published at: https://wheatoncollege.blog/on-campus-announcements/alumni/john-sutyak-00-abd-member-at-large/

A smiling woman with blond hair wearing a black sweater.

Liz Sobe
Member-at-Large
Alumni Board of Directors

Professional Background:
Head of Business Development, Robinson+Cole (2024–present)
Director, Marketing, Cornerstone Research (2022–2024)
Strategic Growth Executive (Business Development & Sales), Independent Consultant /
Contractor (2021–2022)
Director of Strategic Growth, Marketing & Business Devel., Goulston & Storrs (2018–2021)
Director of Marketing, Fish & Richardson P.C. (2007–2018)
Director of Marketing, Kodiak Venture Partners (2006–2007)
Director of Strategic Relations, Castile Ventures (2003–2006)
Director of Marketing, GrandBanks Capital (2001–2003)
Marketing Director, Learning Express (2000–2001)
Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Ascent Venture Partners (1996–2000)

Professional Honors and Awards
Legal Sales and Service Master Coach
Smart Collaboration Accelerator Accredited Partner
Excellence in Law: Marketing, issued by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and Massachusetts Bar Association
Star Award for Outstanding Service, issued by Legal Marketing Association

Academic background
Bachelors of Arts, English literature, Wheaton College, 1996

Why I’m serving on the Alumni Board of Directors
I’m thrilled to be part of the Alumni Board because staying connected with fellow alumni and strengthening the Wheaton community means so much to me. Wheaton’s past, present and future all hold a special place in my heart, and I’m excited to celebrate its history while building connections that keep us moving forward. I’m looking forward to creating opportunities for alumni to support each other, connect with current students and work together to make a real difference for the future.

Originally published at: https://wheatoncollege.blog/on-campus-announcements/alumni/liz-sobe-96-abd-member-at-large/

“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.”

Originally published at: https://test-wheaton-college-blog.pantheonsite.io/academics/megans-test-on-test/

Congratulations to all of the 2025 Wheaton Graduates!

Originally published at: https://maintenance-wheaton-college-blog.pantheonsite.io/uncategorized/megans-9-9-test-blog/

Dear parents and guardians,

As we begin a new academic year, I want to extend a warm welcome to you and your extended family. This year promises to be filled with learning, growth and connection, and we are thrilled to partner with you in supporting your student’s journey.

Opening Convocation: The power of storytelling and empathy

We officially opened the academic year on August 26th with our Opening Convocation, a cherished tradition at Wheaton. This year’s theme, “Sharing the Power of Storytelling and Empathy,” reminds us of the profound impact that listening to and sharing personal stories has on building understanding and community. Our speakers encouraged students to embrace their narratives and listen deeply to others—skills that are essential for leadership and personal development.

Campus enhancements: Renovated spaces for living and learning

We are excited to share that several campus improvements were completed over the summer. Our theme houses, which provide students with unique opportunities to live in communities centered around shared interests, have been refreshed with updated interiors and improved communal spaces. Additionally, Chapin Residence Hall underwent significant renovations to modernize facilities and create an environment that supports both academic success and social engagement. These updates reflect our commitment to creating spaces where students can feel at home and thrive.

Partnering to support your student

College is a time of exploration, independence and, at times, challenge. We encourage you to talk with your student about the importance of reaching out for support when needed. Wheaton offers a wide range of resources to promote academic achievement, well-being and personal growth. When students connect with these resources early and often, they are better equipped to succeed.

Important campus resources

Please share these key resources with your student:

Filene Center for Academic Success: Student academic planning and support.
Office of Accessibility Services: Student support with academic and housing accommodations.
Counseling Center: Confidential mental health support.
Dean of Students: Student support with personal, academic and CARE management.
Health Services: Student support for medical care and wellness programs.
Life and Career Design Institute: Internship guidance, job preparation and career planning.
Campus Safety: 24/7 support, emergency response and parking.
Residential Life: Student support for residential programming and housing.
Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership: Clubs, leadership programs and campus activities.

We are grateful for the trust you have placed in us and look forward to an exciting year of learning and growth. With our partnership, we can ensure your student has the resources and support they need to thrive at Wheaton.

As a reminder, Family and Friends Weekend starts on October 3 through October 4! Information regarding Family and Friends weekend can be found here.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns. Thank you for being an essential part of the Wheaton community.

Warm regards,
Dr. Parker
Vice President for Student Affairs

Originally published at: https://wheatoncollege.blog/on-campus-announcements/parents/partnering-in-student-success/