A Meaningful Way to Give Back:
Madeline Bayliss ʼ76
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When Madeline Bayliss ʼ76 first stepped onto Colgate's campus, she didn’t know she was walking into her living history. Her parents, who taught her the value of giving, had raised her to believe in both volunteering her time and sharing her resources. It was a lesson that would become the cornerstone of her life—a philosophy she has since passed on to her own children. Little did she know, Colgate had a similar ethos.
When she was deciding whether or not to attend, she stopped by the financial aid office. She had a willingness to work, so she was curious why her aid package didn't include a campus job. The director, without even looking at her file, said, "Madeline, we know how involved you've been in high school. We want to make sure you have the time to do that here." In that moment, she knew this was the place for her. Colgate wasn't just a school; it was a community invested in its students as whole people.
That commitment to each person is what has kept Madeline connected to Colgate for a lifetime. Her undergraduate days were just the beginning: Madeline has had the privilege of serving the University in many capacities and continues to do so. In her time on campus, she was part of the earliest classes at Colgate to include women, the first female editor of the Colgate News, co-founder of the first women's ice hockey team, and designed her own independent major in human communications. Those early experiences of creating and building have influenced her entire career, leading innovation in the nonprofit, financial services, and technology sectors.
Madeline's journey with philanthropy, like her journey with Colgate, has evolved over time. After acting as the executor of her father's estate, she learned firsthand how a legacy can be a burden without proper planning. This experience motivated her to be more intentional about her own giving, especially as she looked toward her 50th class reunion. She joined the Women's Leadership Council. Madeline became a member of the Willow Society by including Colgate in her will, but she wanted to do more. She wanted to give in a way that was both meaningful to her and beneficial to Colgate.
Her initial solution was to designate Colgate as the beneficiary of an IRA. Second, to complete current pledges, she will redirect required minimum distributions (RMDs) from an inherited IRA as qualified charitable distributions (QCDs). These QCDs are tax-free and lower her taxable income. Third, when she must take RMDs from other IRAs, Madeline will have some of this income directed to Colgate instead of tapping other assets for her pledges. These strategies serve both Colgate and her personal financial plans.
Madeline loves that Colgate continues to be a place of curiosity, community, and opportunity. Her gifts are her way of supporting the University's ongoing evolution—a way to ensure that future generations of students can have the same kind of transformative experiences she did.
She designates her gifts to a wide range of areas across campus—from women's ice hockey and the LGBTQ+ Initiatives to The Colgate Maroon-News and Haven, summer internships, Thought Into Action, and the Colgate Fund—because she wants to have an impact on multiple arenas. Colgate has been her "happy place" for so many years, and she's honored to support its aspirational goals and continued influence in the world.
The discussion herein is general in nature and may not apply to all individuals. Prospective donors are urged to consult their personal tax and financial advisors concerning the specific consequences of making gifts to Colgate. We would be pleased to discuss, in confidence, ways in which you may support Colgate. These measures may also have an impact on your estate planning.
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