Carpe Diem Society Membership
The Carpe Diem Society Membership was named to honor those who "seize the moment" in planning for Cooley Law School's bright future. It was established to recognize alumni and friends of Cooley Law School who have included the law school in their estate planning through wills, trusts, life insurance, annuities, and other types of deferred gifts. The society assists alumni and friends in establishing a planned gift. Each day, the lives of Cooley Law School's students are enriched by gifts to the school. Now, Cooley Law School alumni and friends can make a significant difference through a particular type of gift, called a planned gift.
Planned Giving
A planned gift allows you to fulfill your personal financial goals while helping to ensure a bright future for Cooley Law School. Planned gifts are charitable donations arranged during the donor’s lifetime but usually not completed until many years later, upon the donor's passing. A planned gift is an ideal way to make a substantial gift to Cooley Law School while maximizing tax benefits and providing for others such as family members, consistent with your financial and estate planning goals.
A Properly Planned Gift may:
Provide an income for life, generate a current income tax deduction, reduce or eliminate capital gains taxes, reduce or eliminate gift and estate taxes, and enable you to make a much larger gift to Cooley Law School than you thought possible.
Planned Gifts Come in a Number of Forms:
- Bequests
- Life Insurance
- Life Income Gifts
- Retained Life Estate
Gifts that Provide an Income for Life
- Charitable Gift Annuity
- Charitable Remainder Trust
- Charitable Lead Trust
- Retirement Plan Assets 401K and IRA Accounts
- Remainder Interest in Residence or Farm
Outright Gifts
- Securities
- Real Estate
- Tangible Property
- Life Insurance
- Retirement Plans
How to Become a Carpe Diem Society Member
Membership is based upon your notification to Cooley Law School's Office of Development that you have made a planned gift to benefit Cooley Law School. You will then receive an invitation for membership in the society. You need only to return the invitation and set forth some details of the gift. Membership is important for several reasons.
- First, once we know of your plans, we will be better able to assist you in ensuring that your gift is properly directed to your specified area of interest and thus is spent in accordance with your philanthropic wishes.
- Second, advance notice to Cooley Law School of your gift intention helps us be aware of future funding sources, allowing us to plan better our future endeavors.
- Third, your membership in the society allows us to recognize you in an appropriate and timely way for your demonstrated commitment to Cooley Law School's mission.
Respect for Confidentiality
Although your membership in the Carpe Diem Society is recorded, any information concerning your background and your planned gift is held confidential by Cooley Law School. No information will be released without your express written consent, although we will ask that you allow us to publish your name on our membership roster.
Membership Listing
- Keith and Cherie Beck
- Cheryl Bywater
- Professor Cindy E. Faulkner
- Jewell M. Hall
- Lou Ann & Thomas J. Hall
- Associate Dean Marion M. Hilligan
- Professor Joseph Kimble
- Dale & Carol Malewska
- Charles & Helen Mickens
- Associate Dean Nelson Miller & Anne Miller
- Robert and Janice Mitchell (Melissa Mitchell Scholarship)
- Heather R. Spielmaker
- Norman Otto & Marcia Stockmeyer
- Associate Dean Amy Timmer & Mark Alan Meservey
- Victoria A. Vuletich
- Associate Dean William P. Weiner
- Ann and Jim Wood