Giving from the Right Side of the Brain

by Christine Scott Nelson '73 Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees

I am frequently asked why I give to Allegheny. That's an easy question to answer. But recently someone asked me why I give the way I do. Now that's a tougher question.

Let's start with the why. Like the many alumni I meet at events around the country, I love Allegheny. Giving of my time and resources to Allegheny is simply "giving from the heart." I especially love the way Allegheny transforms the lives of young adults. And it is precisely my perception of the ways Allegheny transformed my life that has influenced how I direct my giving.

With all due apologies to our ably trained neuroscientists for my simplistic view of how the brain works, I see the how of giving as either left-brained or right-brained. The left-brain givers have heard about and analyzed a specific need and are responding with generosity in a very focused way. We are so fortunate to have left-brained donors, for they are strengthening our programs and ensuring continued academic excellence. Without them, we would not have smart classrooms or plans for a new alumni center and a theatre and communication arts facility.

Now those who know me and know that I spend most of my day dealing with heavy-duty left-brain analytics may find it hard to believe that I am, in fact, a right-brain giver. But left-brain analytics are just what I do to earn a living ... not what I do to "live a life." And living a full life is what Allegheny prepared me for. It challenged my thinking, it raised my expectations of myself, and it changed my perspective on the world. It made me what I am as a parent, as a member of my church and community, and as a citizen of the world.

And how is it that Allegheny transformed me? Not through a particular program, not through a particular academic department, and not through a single opportunity that I can pinpoint today, but rather through the entire Allegheny experience - the gestalt. As a result, my preferred way of giving is not earmarking funds for special use but rather providing unrestricted gifts to support, in any way needed, the Allegheny experience. President Cook, the faculty, and the administration are all dedicated to transforming the lives of young people, and I trust that they will use my gifts in the best way possible to achieve that end.

Every visit to Allegheny reaffirms my decision to invest in the Allegheny experience and its ability to develop full lives. I notice it particularly when I take a break from my on-campus meetings and start dialing my office ... while answering an e-mail from a client ... and jotting down a note to call about the kids' dentist appointments. Amidst the ensuing chaos, the chimes begin to sound from the tower of Bentley, and I pause and reflect on the fullness of my life. The right-hand side of my brain takes over, and everything falls into perspective. And best of all, I see students across the campus doing exactly the same. Pausing and reflecting. Now that's the Allegheny experience.

Alumni Gifts Help Complete Education
by Abby Yingling '04

On a gray Meadville morning last November, a hundred Allegheny students dragged themselves out of bed at 8 a.m. But that's not the most remarkable part of this story. I was among those students who boarded a bus that morning to travel to Pittsburgh to attend a performance of Twelfth Night by the Globe Theater of London. Many of us were taking drama courses at the time; others were simply Shakespeare lovers. This opportunity to see one of the best Shakespeare companies in the world perform so close to Meadville was certainly incredible. Equally incredible was the generosity of Mr. Henry B. and Mrs. Patricia Bush '56 Tippie, whose support made the trip possible.

"Speak the speech, I pray you," Hamlet directs his fellow players. While this line serves as a reminder that Shakespeare's plays were written to be performed, most of us experience Shakespeare not by watching, but by reading. My peers and I spent hours reading and discussing the text of Twelfth Night, but we struggled to comprehend the potential of the play in performance.

Although we could quote the most respected scholars on the subject of casting boy players in women's roles, I was aware that something was missing. The moment that Mark Rylance glided onstage as Olivia, however, I understood not only why he is considered one of the best Shakespearean actors today, but also how men playing women actually worked on the Elizabethan stage. Our poise as serious students of Shakespeare dissolved as we laughed and cheered, swept up in a comic world not so different from our own.

I consider myself exceptionally lucky, because this was my second opportunity to see world-class Shakespeare through Allegheny. Last year, my classmates and I spent a weekend in Stratford, Ontario, watching Shakespeare's history plays performed by the Shakespeare Festival of Canada. Other classes have attended productions at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Cleveland Playhouse, and the Pittsburgh Public Theater. All of these opportunities were made possible by the largesse of Mr. and Mrs. Tippie, who endowed a chair to recognize outstanding faculty (currently held by Dr. James Bulman in the English department), and the Barnhart-Fishell Fund. Thanks to their generosity, I consider my Shakespeare education at Allegheny complete.

A Grand Musical Vision

"It was a dark and stormy night - really," says Freda Silberman with a laugh as she describes how the idea for the College's Silberman Recital Series first took shape. The Silbermans were at their vacation home on Sugar Lake, thirteen miles from Meadville, when Aaron Silberman woke his wife to tell her, "I'm going to start a music series at Allegheny College." It was a remarkable gift to the College - even more so considering that neither of the Silbermans was an alumnus.

That was fifteen years ago, and since then the Silberman Recital Series has been bringing acclaimed musicians - and many new musical talents who go on to have international reputations - to Allegheny four or five times a year. When Aaron Silberman died in 1993, Freda Silberman says she asked herself, "Do I continue the series or stop it?" She admits that she didn't have to think too long before deciding that the program was too important to discontinue. "It is imperative to bring more students to the program," she says. "We must invest in education for the next generation of concert-goers."

Not only has the recital series survived under her enthusiastic and personal approach to stewardship, but it continues to thrive. In addition to providing for the yearly expenses of the series, Mrs. Silberman chooses the musicians herself, relying on her many musical connections - including the former wife of legendary violinist Isaac Stern - to alert her about young musicians with the potential to become stars.

"These young people," she says, "it's so hard for them to get their foot in the door. If they can find someone to give them a little push, it makes all the difference." Being able to help cultivate young talent is just one aspect of her work that she loves - another is the long-term relationships she has developed with musicians who have been with the program from the beginning, such as the Alexander String Quartet, whose members she has known for almost twenty-five years, and Allegheny College Professor of Music Alec Chien.

When the Silbermans decided to create a recital series at Allegheny, they already knew the commitment of time and energy the endeavor would require: They founded similar series at Aaron Silberman's alma mater, Baruch College, and at Rodef Shalom Temple in Pittsburgh. Just as with those series, the Silbermans were determined to keep the recital series at Allegheny College free to the public so that community members could share the Silbermans' joy in music.

Although the Silbermans intended their Allegheny College series to be a gift to the community and to the College, Freda Silberman also sees the program as a gift to herself. "I just feel the series is essential," she says. "It's a duty, really, but it's not a burden. It's an honor."

On September 11, 2004, the 15th anniversary of the Silberman Recital Series will be celebrated with a concert by Alec Chien. "With Freda Silberman, and her late husband Aaron, Allegheny has been blessed for almost a decade and a half with this couple's vision to bring quality music performances onto campus," he says. "Freda would be the first one to insist that it was Aaron's idea. While that might be, she herself has certainly continued to ensure that his vision would continue and expand. For that, Allegheny and the Meadville community are ever so grateful."

Are you moving into a smaller home?
Do you have a vacation or rental property you are looking to sell?
Do you want to stay in your own home?

By giving all or a portion of your interest in real estate to Allegheny College, you could receive an immediate income tax deduction. You could use your real estate to fund a life income gift. You could even choose to remain in your home for your lifetime while still making a gift to Allegheny.

Real estate is one asset that has not seen a decline in value over the past few years. Take advantage of its appreciation. Many different arrangements resulting in benefits to both you and the College are possible.

Contact Julianne Weibel Foltz, director of gift planning, for more details regarding a gift of real estate or other gift planning opportunities: 814-332-2735 or julianne.foltz@allegheny.edu.

A Perfect Match

Your employer and Allegheny College may be a perfect match! Each year the College receives more than $200,000 in matching gifts from nearly 200 generous corporations and foundations in honor of their valued employees, retirees, and, in some cases, even spouses of employees.

John Harrison '87 takes full advantage of General Electric's 50-year-old matching gift program. John has been with GE for fourteen years and has garnered matching dollars for Allegheny each one of them. "GE explained the matching gift program to me on my very first day of orientation, and I immediately thought of Allegheny," John says. GE offers a convenient on-line matching process that John says takes only a few minutes to complete. Why does John choose to give to Allegheny? "I like receiving the calendar," he says with a laugh, "and, seriously, because Allegheny did a lot for me, and I want to give something back."

To determine if your company will match your gifts to Allegheny, please contact your human resources office or visit your company's Web site. The process is simple. You will receive a form to complete and send in with your gift or pledge. We will sign and quickly return the form to your employer's human resources office. Upon the completion of your gift, your employer will send us the matching funds.

Remember, corporate matching gifts also qualify for the Skattum Challenge. Dag '84 and Julie Grosjean '85 Skattum continue to challenge alumni, parents, and friends to support the Annual Fund. If your employer's contributions help you to meet any of the following criteria, the Skattums will match those funds, too.

If you gave to the Annual Fund last year and you increase your gift this year, the increased portion of your Annual Fund gift will receive a 1:1 match from the Skattums.

If you did not give to the Annual Fund last year and you give this year, your Annual Fund gift will receive a 2:1 match from the Skattums. Additionally, if you pay your gift online or pay with a credit card, your Annual Fund gift will be matched one more time by the Skattums.

If you have never given to the Annual Fund and you give a gift this year, your Annual Fund gift will receive a 3:1 match from the Skattums. Additionally, if you pay your gift online or pay with a credit card, your Annual Fund gift will be matched one more time by the Skattums.