Add to Your Clarke Legacy During Make-A-Will-Month

August is National Make-A-Will Month, and Clarke University is offering free resources to alumni and friends to assist with their estate planning, thanks to a partnership with FreeWill.  

With the online planning tool, participants walk through a step-by-step process to document their final wishes. From creating plans for your children, pets, and assets, to designating gifts to Clarke and other organizations you care about, FreeWill offers peace of mind in as little as 20 minutes.  

“We’re proud to offer this resource to our alumni and friends. Planning your will can feel like a difficult conversation, yet this tool lays things out in a simple way,” said Clarke University Development Officer Kathy Gable. “As part of your plan, you’ll also have the option to include a gift to Clarke University, ensuring that our students continue to grow, learn, and lead in the spirit of Clarke’s mission and commitment to the BVM Core Values of Freedom, Education, Charity, and Justice.”  

Take advantage of this free resource today at https://www.freewill.com/clarkeuniversity   

Sister Catherine’s Story

For a lifetime, Clarke’s President Emerita, Catherine Dunn, BVM, PhD, has devoted her heart, faith, and her life to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to our university. At 92 years of age, Catherine continues to champion our mission, inspire our students, and believes wholeheartedly in the power of an education grounded in the BVM core values of freedom, education, charity, and justice. 

Even in retirement, Catherine can be found in her office three days each week, actively engaged in the life of the University she has helped guide for more than a half a century. Whether offering wisdom to colleagues, mentoring future leaders, or engaging with alumni and students, she continues to make a meaningful difference every day. Her presence on campus serves as a powerful reminder that leadership is not defined by a title, but by a lifelong commitment to serving others.  

Catherine’s legacy will forever live on through the countless lives she has touched and the generations of students she has helped shape. While creating your own will, you too can make a legacy that builds on her impact and helps carry her vision forward. 

Additional Resources for Your Estate Planning

Estate planning can be an emotional process and does include various options. Clarke has more Planned Giving resources and popular estate planning tools at our website at plannedgiving.clarke.edu.