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| Blessing Future Generations: The Kennedy Legacy |
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Before his death in 1988, William Munsey Kennedy Jr., Helen’s husband, had wanted to direct a significant portion of his estate to CUA, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1952. Helen fulfilled her husband’s expectations — and then some. “This was a woman who felt it important not only to honor her husband’s wishes but to watch over and protect the money,” Hallet says. With such careful tending, the amount Helen once conservatively estimated at $300,000 grew into almost $730,000 and is now easing tuition costs for four William Munsey Kennedy Jr. Distinguished Scholars. Anthony Cataldo, B.S. Arch. 2004, is one of those scholarship recipients. Since graduating from CUA with his bachelor’s degree, Cataldo has begun a master’s program at the university. As a Kennedy scholar he’s receiving $4,000 this year, which is a “huge help,” he says. “Without it I would be taking out more loans and working more hours.” Cataldo, who manages a CUA residence hall to help cover expenses, says the Kennedy scholarship effectively gives him more time to devote to his thesis. The Kennedy scholarship not only benefits students, it also enhances the competitive position of the university, Hallet says. Without such financial assistance, talented future architects might opt to attend less expensive state schools or more heavily subsidized private universities. A native of Washington, D.C., William Munsey Kennedy in 1938 earned a Bachelor of Science degree in landscape architecture from the State University of New York in Syracuse (which received a portion of his estate as well). He worked as a landscape architect with the National Park Service, then served in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division in northern Italy during World War II, earning a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for meritorious service. After the war, Kennedy came to CUA to pursue an architecture degree. Professor Joseph Miller found Kennedy to be such an outstanding student that he offered him a job in his Georgetown architecture office upon graduation. Kennedy didn’t take the offer because he and Helen wanted to live in the country. The couple settled in Middleburg, Va., where Kennedy opened his own office. They had no children, and in 1977 they retired to Williamsburg, living close to the colonial gardens and natural beauty they both loved. Professor Miller stayed in touch with In a note about his first visit with Helen Kennedy, Miller wrote, “It was quite a surprise to see this tiny wisp of a lady, 81 years old, open the doors of a large 10-year-old van and take her seat at the wheel. She said she refuses to buy any new car because she strenuously objects to gadgetry.” Helen Kennedy’s Aug. 6, 2002, obituary in the Hampton Roads (Va.) Daily Press consisted of five sentences and listed only two survivors: a niece and great-niece. But she and her husband left a legacy of learning — one that will bless students for generations to come. – A.C. How to Leave a Legacy “Planned giving is a strategic decision to invest in CUA to promote the betterment of society for future generations,” says Paul Brooks, counsel to CUA’s president for government and community relations and former head of planned giving. Such an investment can create a long-lasting relationship in which the donor and the university are able to promote common goals. “Planned giving allows the donor and the university to form a mutually beneficial partnership that will assist the financial health and welfare of both the donor’s family and The Catholic University of America,” says Robert Sullivan, vice president for university development. A variety of flexible giving opportunities can benefit the giver and the university in different ways:
While gift planning may seem to be for the wealthy, “it’s not as unreachable as people think,” Brooks says. It also can offer substantial income and tax benefits to donors. For instance, Brooks explains, “If someone is contemplating leaving assets both to family members and to CUA, it is advantageous to leave an individual retirement account to CUA because if you leave it to an individual, it will be taxed.” While their specifics vary, all these gift plans share a common goal: the donor and university providing for the future together. For more information or brochures on planned giving, please contact: |
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When architecture Professor Stanley Hallet met Helen Kennedy in 1993, she was a spry 81-year-old who lived in a simple two-bedroom house in Williamsburg, Va., and rode an old three-speed bicycle around town. Her typical day featured a five-mile bicycle ride in the morning and a long walk after lunch. She lived very frugally. But after her death in 2002, the Kennedy estate gave CUA’s School of Architecture and Planning one of the largest bequests it has ever received. That gift is helping defray the education costs of four architecture students this year and will continue to help students throughout the years to come.