Make a Difference Now, in the Future, and Forever
If reflecting on a life made rich by your time at Berkeley Haas inspires you to give back, you have numerous options.
You may choose to make a gift that can be put to use immediately, by supporting the Haas Fund at the leadership level and joining the Haas Leadership Society. Or set future students up for success by endowing a scholarship or a program. Or include a gift to Haas or Berkeley in your will or living trust for a lasting legacy.
Or, you may decide to draw on a combination of popular assets to give and ways to give so that you see your impact now and in the future, while helping secure a strong forever for Berkeley Haas. However you choose to support our school, you make business—and the world—better for generations to come. It’s a remarkable legacy.
Colleen Cassidy, MBA 86
Colleen Cassidy’s generosity touches campus in numerous ways. She provides annual support to cherished areas like the Botanical Garden, ensuring they thrive today. But her impact goes further. She has also established an endowed scholarship to support Haas students struggling to meet basic needs and included a bequest to Berkeley Haas in her will.
“Haas truly changed my life,” says Colleen, a former pharmaceutical industry consultant. While she initially doubted her ability to make a significant impact, she soon realized that her contributions could make a real difference now without affecting her retirement plans. “I don’t want anyone to miss out on a Haas education because they’re struggling to make ends meet,” she says. “We can help them seize the same opportunities we’ve had.”
Careers in energy sparked both lifelong friendship and philanthropy for Matt Masters, MBA 80, (L.) and Ken Niemi, MBA 87 (R.). The two met at PG&E, and when Matt included Haas and Cal in his estate plans, it inspired Ken to do the same. “You don’t have to be Bill Gates or Warren Buffett to do this,” Ken says. Both prioritize sustainability. “We need bright people thinking deeply about these issues,” says Matt. “Whatever support I can lend to Haas programs and students, I feel like it’s doing good.”
The Wheeler Society
The Benjamin Ide Wheeler Society (or Wheeler Society) honors individuals who have provided for Haas or Berkeley through estate planning, a life income gift, or other planned giving. Wheeler Society member benefits include a welcome package and society pin, annual complimentary passes and discounts to Berkeley’s museums, exhibits, and venues, an exclusive annual summer luncheon, an annual philanthropy report, and more.
To learn more about making a planned gift to the Haas School and UC Berkeley, reach out to [email protected] or call 510.642.6300. The office of gift planning can help with flexible strategies for pursuing your charitable and financial goals as you support the campus work that matters most to you.