Olivet Nazarene University Planning a Legacy of Hope
We’re strengthening Olivet Nazarene University’s mission for the next chapter — one where excellence isn’t just sustained, but amplified. You can help empower Olivet to remain a leading Christian university where future generations of students receive a transformative, Christ‑centered education.
Estate planning empowers you to protect what matters most — your future, that of your loved ones, and the causes close to your heart. Without a plan, state laws decide your legacy, often in ways that don’t reflect your values or wishes.
Your investments become a living legacy in the countless students, families, and communities that Olivet will serve for decades to come.
Goal: $50 Million in Planned Legacy Gift Commitments
PARTNER WITH OUR TEAM TO CREATE YOUR PLAN
Olivet’s staff stands ready to help you create a meaningful estate plan. You can use our confidential planning tools, including a comprehensive questionnaire, to clarify your goals and simplify decision-making.
Additionally, you have access to experienced advisors through PhilanthroCorp. (See page 4 for contact information.)
DEAR OLIVET FAMILY,
For more than 30 years, Jill and I had the privilege of dedicating our lives to Olivet Nazarene University — a place where hearts are shaped, minds are sharpened, and lives are launched into meaningful service.
In today’s world, our graduates will face many complex challenges. But they do not face them alone. They carry with them the spiritual foundation and moral clarity that were nurtured at ONU. That’s why Jill and I have also chosen to include Olivet in our estate plans. It’s one of the most meaningful decisions we’ve made — a legacy of hope and faith for future generations.
I invite you to consider how you, too, might take part in securing Olivet’s future. Through careful estate planning, you’re not just putting your affairs in order — you’re making an investment in the lives of young men and women who are being called by God to serve others through a variety of careers.
God is with us, and He is at work through Olivet.
With deep gratitude and hope,
John C. Bowling, Ed.D. President Emeritus, Olivet Nazarene University
The line between excellent and average is surprisingly thin, but with your support, we will maintain our position as one of the leading Christian universities in the nation.”
— GREGG CHENOWETH, PH.D., PRESIDENT, OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY
DRS. JOHN AND JILL BOWLING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU
Gifts That Help Later
Your gift through a Bequest in your Will costs you nothing today. It is free from estate or death taxes, and it can be changed at any time. A Trust can manage assets during life, too.
Through a retirement plan beneficiary designation, you can structure a percentage toward current university needs.
Establish Payment on Death (POD) designations on bank accounts or stock holdings to ensure seamless transfers to your beneficiaries.
Gifts That Help Today and Tomorrow
Create an endowment (or add to an existing one) in honor of family, loved ones, or others. You can fund the endowment through a gift of cash or stock. You can also plan to fund it through future gifts from your Will, Trust, IRA, or other plans.
Donate stock or real estate to Olivet and escape capital gains taxes. If you sell them on your own, you’ll owe tax on the amount of the appreciation or increase in value.
A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) allows you to recommend charitable distributions now — with no new out-of-pocket expense. And, you can designate the balance of your DAF to Olivet after your passing.
Consider designating Olivet as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy, or of your commercial annuities and U.S. savings bonds.
Consult with your tax advisor about how these strategies save you and your heirs from potential taxes — immediately and later.
We love the idea of an endowed fund. After we’re gone and nobody remembers us, it will continue to give
through generations.”
— REV. DAVID AND DONNA WINE
Gifts That Pay Income
Your ONU Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) will pay you and/or your loved ones a fixed income for life. Your Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) will pay you and/or your loved ones an income for life (or a term not to exceed 20 years). You or Olivet can serve as the trustee.
Establish either of these through a gift of cash, assets, or a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA. At the death of the annuitant(s) or beneficiaries, the residual can support an Olivet designation of your choice. Ask us about the suggested minimum gift.
WE’LL HELP YOU PLAN A LEGACY OF HOPE
By including Olivet Nazarene University in your Will or estate, you will strengthen programs, provide scholarships, and assist generations to come. Explore how your gift will fuel the mission, fund excellence, and secure the future of Olivet.
PLEASE CONTACT US at Development@Olivet.edu or call 815-939-5171.
Walter “Woody” Webb, CFRE Director of Planned and Estate Giving
I had been thinking about estate plans and kept putting it off. I just never knew what to do until I worked with PhilanthroCorp, and I’m so excited to have this finished!” — WALTER W. JONES III
Olivet also partners with PhilanthroCorp, a trusted organization that offers free, personalized estate planning guidance. Their team will walk you through your options and then connect you with a vetted Christian attorney who can prepare all essential documents. CONTACT PHILANTHROCORP directly and confidentially at 800-876-7958 — and be sure to mention Olivet!
