Mildred Reynolds, Ed.D. '78, credits her family for the spirit of philanthropy that has been a steady thread throughout her life, starting with the first gift she ever made—a penny she put in the Sunday school collection as a child. Since then, she has found many ways to give back to the people and institutions that have influenced her life, especially the George Washington University.

Dr. Reynolds came to the GW School of Medicine in 1970 when she became Director of Psychiatric Social Work and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. While working at the university, she also took graduate courses at GW's Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD), earning a doctorate in higher education in 1978. She made her first gift to her new alma mater that spring.

"My ten years at GW was such a rich experience, and it had a major impact on my life," she says. "I learned so much there, and I am incredibly grateful for my experiences as both a graduate student and a faculty member."

Honoring Her Time as Teacher and Student
After leaving the university in 1980 to attend seminary, Dr. Reynolds continued to make gifts to the annual funds for GSEHD and GW's School of Medicine and Health Sciences. In 2002, Dr. Reynolds established her first charitable gift annuity at GW to benefit the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish), of which she is now a board member. Dr. Reynolds created another charitable gift annuity in 2010 and is planning to establish her third annuity this year.

"Establishing a charitable gift annuity at GW was a great option for me," she says. "The income it provides is very attractive, especially with interest rates down. It is income that I can count on, and I'm able to support GW and its programs at the same time!"

Turning Generosity Into Financial Security
A charitable gift annuity (CGA) with GW provides fixed payments for life in exchange for your gift of cash or securities. CGAs are easy to set up and help donors save on income and/or capital gains taxes, receive secure and predictable payments for life, and gain the satisfaction of making a generous gift to GW.

Planned gifts of all sizes can have a major impact on the George Washington University, its programs and initiatives, and—most importantly—its students. Planned gifts like the CGAs established by Dr. Reynolds also provide attractive benefits to donors without sacrificing the impact of the gift.

"GW provided me with so much as an employee and a graduate student," Dr. Reynolds said. "Professionally, it gave me visibility and credibility, and now it's helping me achieve my philanthropic goals as well. I try to live my life in keeping with John Wesley's rule to 'do as much good as you can, for as many as you can, for as long as you can.' The benefits that come with planned gifts like a charitable gift annuity make that goal even easier to achieve."

Mildred Reynolds has also made arrangements to donate her body to GW's School of Medicine and Health Sciences, for educational and research purposes.

Show Your Support
If you would like to learn more about setting up a charitable gift annuity at the George Washington University, please contact Dean Regenovich, JD, LLM at (202) 748-4532 or dean.regenovich@gwu.edu.