Have the constant ups and downs of the stock market lately reminded you of a roller coaster? While a thrill ride in an amusement park may be fun, market volatility can make your head spin and stomach churn for completely different reasons. The good news is that opportunities exist to make a difference through your giving to benefit Southern Illinois University while also offering some potential financial advantages in your planning for the next tax season.

Even though the market is down from the highs of 2021, you may still have some considerably appreciated assets. If you make a gift of stock to the SIU Foundation directly from your brokerage account, you will likely bypass capital gains taxes and may also take advantage of a charitable deduction on your taxes next year. Even better, your stock is sold immediately and turned into student scholarships, faculty development, facility improvements and more at Southern Illinois University.

Some donors use appreciated stock as a basis for a charitable gift annuity (CGA). With a CGA, you receive an annual annuity payment, largely tax-free, with a portion of your gift going to the SIU Foundation at the end of your life. When funded with appreciated assets, you avoid capital gains taxes and may take advantage of a charitable deduction, while benefiting from an annuity based on the current price of the stock when it is gifted to the SIU Foundation. In uncertain financial times, many donors appreciate the constant source of income from the annuity, while also knowing that their gift will ultimately support the mission of Southern Illinois University.

Donors who are 70.5 or older and have an IRA have one more win-win option available: giving through their IRA as a Qualified Charitable Deduction (QCD). A QCD, sent directly from your financial institution to the SIU Foundation, ultimately reduces your income tax obligations related to your required minimum distribution (RMD). While seniors don’t have to take an RMD until they are 72, the option to make a QCD begins at age 70.5.

Want to learn more about how you can find win-win solutions that may provide tax-wise solutions for you and benefit SIUC? First, always consult your financial advisor to learn how these ideas may impact your personal financial situation. Then, for more information about giving through the SIU Foundation, contact Kathryn Sime in the SIU Foundation gift planning office: kathryns@foundation.siu.edu or 618-453-4268.

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Students in the SIU College of Business and Analytics receive a helping hand through the many services its Business Placement Center offers. Students receive training on everything from etiquette lessons to how to craft an effective resume.

Services start the first day a student attends classes at the College of Business and Analytics and continues throughout the student’s career.

Thomas Becker, employer relations coordinator for the college says that students benefit from a wide array of career development opportunities, programs, career fairs, and receive exposure to many employment options.

“We host business fairs for the students and connect students to employers. We also like to take students on exploration trips to corporation headquarters in cities across the country. In the Spring of 2019, we took approximately 50 students to Nashville’s Country Music Association’s (CMA) headquarters where they listened to the CEO of CMA share her business experiences with the students,” said Becker.

Bridgette Sargent, Assistant Dean of Students Services at the College of Business and Analytics says the goal is to take the students to major cities across the country.

“We have taken trips to St. Louis where we visited the St. Louis Blues Hockey headquarters and that trip was invaluable. We would love to take them to Indianapolis and Atlanta as we have several alumni in those cities as well. The experience for the students is impactful and they learn a great deal from our alumni about business. It is so worthwhile to let them get first-hand experience.

But, it costs money to make such trips,” said Sargent.

Student feedback regarding the exploration trips:

“Thank you for allowing us to take this trip to see first-hand how companies operate and how individuals become successful. It was nice to not have to worry about coming up with money to pay for the trip.”
Elizabeth Hall, Accounting.

 

“Thank you for giving us the opportunity to broaden our horizons in career choices. As an accounting major, you sometimes forget there is more out there than jobs in audit and tax, but these trips help remind me there are so many more opportunities within my career field.”
Ragan Goldasich, Accounting.

 

“Thank you so much for giving me an insight as to what the real world is like. Experiences like these are invaluable.”
Katie Bevis, Finance.

 

“Thank you very much for the opportunity to travel and listen to speakers. I have never been a part of something like this and I learned a lot from this experience. Trips like this are beneficial to students and it helps them think outside the box of what other careers might be available to them with their degrees.”
Nicole Lopez,  Hospitality, Tourism, & Event Management.

Students also benefit from the Career Closet where they receive free business attire for their use during interviews.

“The closet includes over 800 pieces of professional business attire that is appropriate for interviews and other business functions. Students are able to visit the closet throughout the semester and borrow complete business suits or just the pieces they need to complement their outfit,” said Becker.

Since its creation in 2016, the Career Closet has provided over 1,400 items that have helped over 600 students participate in professional development events such as career fairs, interviews, and professional meetings.

“We dry-clean the suits and we provide everything right down to their shoes. We give them portfolios to put their resumes in so they aren’t just walking in with a single sheet of paper. All of this is donor driven and so we are hoping that our alumni and donors step up and help us out again this year,” said Becker.

Becker and Sargent are hoping to raise funds for the Business Placement Center during the upcoming SIU Day of Giving slated for Wednesday, March 2.

Sargent says that each year, the colleges alumni really step up and lend a helping hand to its students during the SIU Day of Giving.

“We did well last year but we are really hoping to turn the attention to the placement center so we can help more students,” said Sargent.

To learn how you can donate to the SIU College of Business and Analytics, visit siuday.siu.edu on March 2. If you would like to donate earlier, visit https://siuf.org/giving/college-unit/business.php and indicate your gift is for the SIU Day of Giving.

Last fall, students from SIU’s Art & Design and Interior Design departments traveled to Chicago to attend the annual NeoCon Exposition as part of the SIU Foundation’s Chicago Takeover Tour. Held at the renowned Merchandise Mark Plaza, NeoCon is a major event where the industry’s major manufacturers as well as emerging companies showcase thousands of new products and services in categories including furniture, fabrics, flooring, interior building products, interior finishes and technology.

Laura Morthland, Program Director of Interior Design, said the trip was a resounding success.

“The trip was spearheaded by Mary Carroll, development officer for the SIU Foundation, and she worked collaboratively with alumnus Mark Steftenagel, CEO of Whitney Architects in Chicago as well as the industrial design firm QDesign. Fifteen students and four faculty made the trip and listened to industry leaders and participated in several tours during the multi-day event. We were well pleased with how this trip unfolded for our students,” said Morthland.

Students and faculty kicked off the field trip with a tour of Kimball/National showrooms where they toured Kimball’s showrooms and learned about the latest trends in commercial office spaces and the changing healthcare needs. Students were also honored by a breakfast and tour at Whitney Architects where students were able to chat with several industry leaders, including special guest John Rouse, former editor of Contract Magazine.

On the first night of the St. Louis Takeover Tour, students attended Chancellor Lane’s Chicago Takeover Tour reception at the Palmer House where they listened to Chancellor Lane, President Mahony and alumnus Mark Silverman, co-host of the Waddle and Silvy Show on WMVP, ESPN1000 address the crowd of more than 200 proud Salukis.

While in Chicago, the students enjoyed the Merchandise Mark Plaza in their free time and returned to SIU with a wealth of experiences and knowledge on cutting-edge trends in the industry.

“I want to extend a big thank you to Mark Steftenagel, Byron Morton, John Rouse, Kay Wulf, Whitney Architects and Q Design. This was an unforgettable experience for our students that they will carry forward throughout their lives,” said Morthland.

A four-year, $25 million fundraising campaign will provide necessary funding to support the future of Southern Illinois University Athletics.

Salukis Forever was launched in February by Saluki Athletics and the SIU Foundation. The entities are working together to raise private funds to support the mission of the SIU Athletic Department.

The new effort is part of the ongoing Forever SIU campaign, which the SIU Foundation launched in 2017 and extended in 2019.

Like so many other aspects of daily life, Saluki Athletics was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This campaign gives donors and alumni a chance to reconnect with the programs and student-athletes.

“Whether it’s supporting scholarships, coaching staff, a specific sport or fund, or simply giving to Saluki Athletics in general, every dollar helps,” said SIU Foundation CEO Matt Kupec. “The Saluki spirit is the tie that binds generations of fans and alumni together. This is the opportunity to make a tremendous impact.”

Donors will have the opportunity to support Saluki Athletics in general or a particular program. SIU has 13 individual programs, which bring hundreds of student-athletes to the university.

“Our student-athletes are some of the best students on campus,” Kupec said. “Our teams have produced more than 100 Academic All-Americans and have GPAs that rank among the best in the country.”

The on-the-field success is just as impressive. The Salukis have won eight national championships, dozens of conference titles and featured more than 60 Olympians. From Walt Frazier hoisting the 1967 NIT Championship trophy to hammer throwers DeAnna Price and Gwen Berry representing the U.S. in the Tokyo Olympics, SIU’s history is rich with tradition and success.

“Saluki Athletics is the front door to SIU,” Kupec said. “Our teams spread awareness of our brand, which aids the university when recruiting potential students across the country. When the Salukis win, we all win.”

Beyond giving directly to the Saluki Athletics or a particular sport, donors can support the Saluki Athletic Scholarship Fund, the AD Excellence Fund, the Women’s Initiative Fund, and the Salukis Well-Being Fund.

Learn more at: foreversiu.org/athletics.

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