Creating A Georgetown Legacy

the beginning of every new year is filled with promise, but this seems especially true of 2023. Both the Hilltop and the growing Capitol Campus are vibrant and bustling, and demonstrate the many reasons to have high hopes for a bright year ahead. We look forward to welcoming even more alumni back to campus, especially the Class of 1973’s 50th Reunion, the Class of 1968’s 55th Reunion, and our Magis community.

The new year is also a good time to start or review your estate planning. For many Hoyas, having their estate plan in place is a way to ensure loved ones are taken care of and charities remembered. This newsletter shares information on tax-smart ways to make Georgetown part of your legacy while continuing to care for family.

for bill licamele, m.d., the word “georgetown” is synonymous with the word “family.” He received his undergraduate degree in 1968 and his medical degree in 1972, continuing with the university for his fellowship and residency. He met his wife, Annamarie, at Georgetown; all three of his children—Mary Ann Melkonian (B’01, MBA’08), Louis Licamele (C’04), and William Anthony Licamele (C’07)—attended Georgetown. His volunteer work, going back to 1979, includes being a senator on the Board of Governors and serving on the School of Medicine Advisory Board, Hoya Hoop Board of Directors, Hoyas Unlimited Board of Directors, and as an interviewer for undergraduate and medical school applicants alike. Not surprisingly, he received the 2008 John Carroll Award for lifelong dedication to his alma mater. Yet he still feels like there is more to do.

“Most alumni don’t understand the important role that planned giving has for the university,” explains Bill. “I want to change that. It’s so easy, and yet there are a lot of misconceptions.”

Planned giving allows individuals to make a gift to Georgetown through their estate using a bequest in a will or a trust, or a retirement account beneficiary axendale, MBA, J.D.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our Georgetown family for your continued support—whether it’s through the undergraduate schools, Graduate School, School of Medicine, Medical Center, Lombardi, or the Law Center. Your generosity helps strengthen the institution we all love for the next generation of Hoyas.

Assistant Vice President of Planned Giving

202-687-1747 jason.baxenda le@georgetown.edu

202-687-6778 mls300@georgetown.edu designation. Planned gifts can be directed to a school or program at Georgetown that is meaningful to you, or left unrestricted so that the university may use it for the area with the greatest need. Since they are revocable, they also provide flexibility in case circumstances change in the future.

Finding an affinity

Bill and his very active Class of 1968 love getting together to reminisce about their time together on the Hilltop. Their relatively small, tight-knit class saw the university grow in more ways than one, including the addition of women. A high percentage of his classmates continued on to Georgetown School of Medicine as it had already been recognized for excellence in clinical teaching.

“I went to a small Jesuit high school so when I arrived at Georgetown, I felt an affinity for the ‘service to others’ mentality. It’s great to see that focus continue through the years,” shares Bill. “For example, in 2007, students started the Hoya Clinic to serve the community, an extension of the work I did with the D.C. Village orphanage when I was a student. I love to see that service mentality.”

“Students also started the Learning Societies at the medical school, a support system with peers, alums, and faculty. Like the Hoya Gateway, it’s so important to foster those connections. At Georgetown, we look out for each other,” he adds.

Enthusiasm and generosity

Bill is the consummate cheerleader for Georgetown. He began volunteering for Hoya Hoops Club in 1979 and still attends most basketball games. In 1991, he began serving as a Class Ambassador. His involvement is likely one of the reasons that the Class of 1968 has remained so close to this day.

In 2018, Bill and his wife established the William and Annamarie Licamele Endowed Scholarship Fund for students in the School of Medicine as well as the Annamarie and William Licamele Endowed Scholarship Fund for undergraduates using IRA qualified charitable distributions (QCD). If you are 70½ or older, you can direct up to $100,000 each calendar year to charity from a qualified IRA. The distribution is tax-free and counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution (if you are 72) with the added bonus of making a gift to Georgetown

Their giving continued with other scholarships, including one named after Dr. Richard Webber, his undergraduate physiology professor. “The notes from that class helped me in med school,” he recalls with a smile.

The Licameles are members of the Georgetown Legacy Society, which recognizes donors who have included Georgetown in their estate planning. Bill feels so strongly about this program that he helped create the Legacy Cup that is given out to the reunion class with the highest percentage of classmates who have made a planned gift to Georgetown.

“I’d like to encourage everyone to learn more about how planned giving works. The Office of Planned Giving is such a wonderful resource. Every little bit helps this university we love so much.”

Request Creating Your Legacy

Georgetown’s informative estate planning guide includes an outline of the key elements of an estate plan, simple steps you can take to get started with the planning process, a checklist to help you gather relevant documents, and ideas on ways to incorporate charitable giving into your planning.

We know this process can sometimes feel overwhelming, so we hope this guide will be a helpful resource. For your complimentary copy, please return the response card or contact the Office of Planned Giving at 800-347-8067 or plannedgiving@georgetown.edu.