Illinois Wesleyan alumnus Charles Kulier and wife Beatrice have a strong charitable giving philosophy, donating substantial amounts to their church and alma maters.

"The more we give away, the more God seems to bless us with resources we can continue to give," Charles says.

The Holland, Michigan, couple is also savvy about the opportunities to give that come with age. IRAs require minimum distributions starting at age 70½, so the Kuliers have routed the distributions directly to Illinois Wesleyan using a QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution).

"It's really a tax advantage to be able to fulfill that minimum distribution each year but also to be able to give to the organizations you're interested in," Charles says.

The Kuliers fund a scholarship at Illinois Wesleyan, preferably for a student majoring in chemistry. Charles graduated in 1957 with a degree in chemistry.

"We've always been givers," he says. "My message to older folks is talk to the people in the development office and read their literature and see what other possibilities there are for them to give, and for the younger people to start doing prudent saving now."

Charles received a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Kansas and conducted post-doctoral research at Johns Hopkins University. He spent 41 years in pharmaceutical research before retiring in 2004.

Make an Impact

Including Illinois Wesleyan in your estate plan is a meaningful way to recognize our work. Contact Steve Seibring '81 at 309-556-3135 or [email protected] to learn more.