BNC's Madalyn Friedberg, national fundraising vice president (left), with Barbara Sander, national president.
BNC's Madalyn Friedberg, national fundraising vice president (left), with Barbara Sander, national president.

Friedberg's Art of Giving

As treasurer of the Brandeis National Committee’s Central Westchester chapter for many years, Madalyn Friedberg knows the financial upside of a charitable gift annuity for those interested in supporting the university.

“It’s a win-win,” says the BNC national vice president of fundraising. “Brandeis receives our gift, and we earn interest on what we give. Everyone benefits.”

Friedberg and her husband, Stephen, established a generous charitable gift annuity this year. They plan to create another in 2016.

“The premise on which the university was founded is very important to us,” Madalyn says. “Brandeis opened a whole world to people who needed an education. We want to do what we can to support Brandeis.”

Gift annuities let donors support Brandeis while securing an immediate stream of income. The amount of the payments is based on the ages of the beneficiaries. Along with the stream of fixed payments, the gift generates an immediate charitable income-tax deduction as well.

At the urging of a friend, Friedberg joined the BNC in 1973. She had three young children and was seeking a group of like-minded lifelong learners. She knew about the university because her father, David Felix, had been friendly with Lawrence Wien, the founder of Brandeis’ Wien International Scholarship Program.

“I liked the BNC women right away,” Friedberg says. “I remember the women didn’t ask what my husband did for a living or how many children I had. They cared about who I was.”

A consistent donor to the university over many years, Friedberg recalls her first visit to the Brandeis libraries. She was gratified to see that BNC donors were recognized for their support.

“It was very exciting when I saw the donor names at the end of the stacks,” she says. “I was thrilled that they really do put the BNC recognition plates in the books.

“Brandeis has been such an important part of my life,” Friedberg continues. “I have made some of my dearest friends through Brandeis, and continue to enjoy the intellectual stimulation of the book groups and the study groups.”

In recent years, the BNC has become even more of a family affair for the Friedbergs. Stephen, a retired lawyer, has presented several study guides on constitutional issues and on Louis Brandeis’ life for BNC groups.

For more information about charitable gift annuities and other planned gifts, contact M’Lissa Brennan, director of strategy and development, at 781-736-4178 or mlissa@brandeis.edu.

$1 Million Scholarship Campaign Kicks Off

The Brandeis National Committee has launched the BNC Scholarship Campaign, a $1 million fundraising initiative designed to ensure that a Brandeis education remains accessible and affordable to deserving students.

The campaign represents a continuation of the BNC’s enduring commitment to championing Brandeis’ highest priorities.

Today, increasing funding for scholarship assistance plays a pivotal role in upholding Brandeis’ founding principle of equal access to higher education regardless of a student’s financial circumstance. Scholarships make sure that the most promising are able to pursue an education at this unique institution.

Nearly 70 percent of Brandeis students receive financial aid, and the university annually awards about $90 million in scholarship aid to undergraduates and graduate students. Less than a quarter of the financial aid budget comes from endowments, gift funds and grants. The rest comes from Brandeis’ operating budget.

“The BNC is proud of our long-standing philanthropic partnership with Brandeis,” says Barbara Sander, the group’s national president. “Our members are committed to supporting students — both those at Brandeis today and in the future.”

Campaign Luncheon in Boca Raton

Interim President Lisa M. Lynch will deliver the keynote address at the BNC Scholarship Campaign Luncheon on March 10 at the Wyndham Hotel in Boca Raton, Fla.

The BNC’s Florida Region is presenting the event, which is open to all members of the Brandeis community. Award-winning singer/songwriter Ellen Bukstel will perform.

A similar luncheon last year raised more than $130,000 in support of the Sustaining the Mind campaign.

Please make a campaign gift of $500 (plus $50 for lunch) to reserve your seat. Supporters can become Honor Roll members with a gift of at least $1,000.

To RSVP, call Dania at 781-736-7588. For more information, visit brandeis.edu/bnc.