Gift Planning

A Simple Way to Pay It Forward: Paul ’77 and Susan Blazar Friedman ’78

Before Paul Friedman ’77 fell in love with his future wife on Colgate’s campus, he fell in love with campus itself.

“I visited on one of those spring days when the campus just glows,” he recalls. Soon, the finance major met Susan Blazar Friedman ’78, and the couple spent their Colgate years enjoying “every moment of every day,” says Susan, who especially loved her history and political science courses. Paul fondly remembers his semester in London and the lifelong friendships he made as a brother of Phi Kappa Psi.

After graduation, Paul went on to a 35-year career in finance, and Susan taught high school social studies while raising their two children, Matthew and Amy ’11.

Returning to campus with their daughter — and also seeing firsthand the University’s growth — inspired the Friedmans to give back. They established the Paul Mason and Susan Blazar Friedman Scholarship and enjoyed learning how it benefited recipients.

“Adding to our scholarship fund on an annual basis for the last 20 years is really what set the stage for us to think of adding Colgate to our will,” says Paul.

After researching their gift-planning options, the couple chose to create a bequest for its simplicity and flexibility. A bequest requires no outlay of resources up front while allowing donors to provide for a meaningful contribution to Colgate and its students. Through their bequest the Friedmans hope to provide opportunities for students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend Colgate, especially first-generation students.

“Students have a wonderful opportunity to grow and develop at Colgate,” says Susan. “It’s essential that alumni pay it forward to guarantee Colgate will be able to continue to do what it does so well.”

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.