Every gift tells a story. For many UNI donors, gifts through a will or trust, also known as estate gifts, are a way to tell that story far into the future, shaping what’s possible for generations of Panthers.

Throughout the Our Tomorrow campaign, estate gifts have played a transformative role. To date, 219 estate gifts have generated nearly $75 million — a full 25% of the campaign’s fundraising total. That generosity will continue to impact students in the years to come, with $30 million given to open doors through scholarships and another $32 million directed toward academic programs and faculty. 

“We all leave a legacy — through our families, our careers and the people we interact with every day,” said Jane Halverson, UNI’s director of planned giving. “An estate gift through a will or trust creates a legacy that lives on in every scholarship awarded, every program expanded and every opportunity made possible for a student who might not otherwise have it.”

For Don and Mary Coffin, both 1983 UNI alums, pledging an estate gift through the Our Tomorrow campaign was a way to ensure future generations of students in the Wilson College of Business have access to the promise and power of a UNI education. 

“Mary and I felt that providing our planned gift to UNI through our donor advised fund was important as we want current and prospective business students to have the same opportunities as we did,” Don said. “We are lucky enough to be able to provide this gift, and donations today are essential to supporting UNI’s educational mission.”

That kind of forward-thinking generosity is creating new possibilities across campus, from life-changing scholarships to innovative academic programs and building the foundation for UNI’s future.