Harbaugh Funds Scholarship with Lifetime and Legacy Gifts

Kathie Palmer Harbaugh needed a lot of financial assistance to afford college, and the scholarships and work study program offered at Wilmington clinched her decision to go there. “Attending WC cemented my personal values of paying it forward by serving others and using my voice to advocate for social justice and finding peaceful solutions to problems,” she says.

To ensure that other women will benefit from a Wilmington education, Kathie has blended lifetime and legacy gifts to establish a scholarship that helps women who need money to stay in school. “I made no other restrictions because I want funds to be available to a wide range of women,” she says. “When I meet with my recipients, I want to share my story and encourage them to keep putting one foot in front of the other no matter what it takes to achieve their dreams.” 

By combining a current IRA charitable rollover gift with a future bequest from a life insurance policy, Kathie was able to fund the scholarship now and meet the recipients each year. “It was simple and straightforward and could be accomplished quickly,” she says. “I’ve asked family and friends who give me gifts to make donations to the scholarship instead.”

Now mostly retired, Kathie, who earned her BA in sociology in 1970, enjoyed a more than 50-year career serving various nonprofits as executive director, assistant director, director of development, and director of education.

Kathie encourages others to consider leaving a legacy gift to support future Quakers. “Believe me, anything that rolls or floats will not give you the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping a new generation of WC students,” she concludes. “There are so many ways to fund your gift. Go where your heart takes you. Talk to the advancement staff—they’ll help you figure it out!”