Gift Planning

Donor Stories

Harff Gift Annuity Scores a Great Scholarship for Hockey Star

Hockey helped David McIntyre ’10 make his dream of a great education at Colgate University possible. The J. Blair Harff ’84 Memorial Endowed Scholarship helped him achieve it—showing the difference a scholarship can make in a student’s life.

That endowed scholarship would not have been possible without a planned gift—in this instance, a charitable gift annuity established by Charles H. Harff ’51.

After graduating from Colgate, Mr. Harff earned a law degree from Harvard and was a Fulbright Scholar at Germany’s Bonn University. He practiced law for 29 years and then became senior vice president and general counsel for Rockwell International Corp. He and his wife Marion had three children—including two alumni, J. Blair Harff ’84 and Todd P. Harff 88.

Charles Harff originally established the charitable gift annuity through Colgate to provide income for his wife. When Marion died in 2009, the annuity’s remaining principal was used to create a scholarship in memory of their son Blair.

At the Harffs’ direction the scholarship gives preference to members of the men’s hockey team with a GPA of 3.0 or above. David McIntyre was a natural choice, given his success on and off the ice.

Growing up in a small Canadian town an hour from Toronto, McIntyre felt he was in “a sub-par learning environment.” His hockey talent attracted offers from schools around the country. He chose Colgate.

“I wanted to gain a prestigious degree while playing a high level of hockey, and after seeing Colgate’s campus I knew this was the place I wanted to be for four years of my life,” said the educational studies major, now a senior and co-captain of the Raiders.

McIntyre has drawn a lot of attention to Colgate because of his dominance on the ice. In 2009, he was named a First Team All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association, the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year, College Hockey News All-American, Inside College Hockey First Team All-American, and ECAC All-Academic Team. David was also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, the highest honor given to a college hockey player.

Selected by the Dallas Stars in the fifth round of the 2006 NHL draft, his rights are now owned by the New Jersey Devils.

McIntyre said his achievements at Colgate would not have been possible without the generous help of the J. Blair Harff ’84 Memorial Endowed Scholarship. (David also received the Lila & Curtiss ’25 Frank Scholarship.)

As the recipient of the Harff Scholarship, David holds his Colgate education “in the highest regard.” Next season he hopes to be playing professional hockey. He also plans to coach hockey one day, helping kids become great on the ice, in the classroom, and as people.

“It would be wonderful to inspire children, giving them the chance to achieve greatness—the same chance that you have given me in my life,” he said in thanking the Harff family.

Planned gifts make such scholarships—and such chances—possible for Colgate students. Your planned gift can fund a dream too.

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.