The William Smith Clark Society

The William Smith Clark Society is pleased to recognize, honor, and welcome as members all those who have made a planned gift or provided for UMass Amherst in their will.

Alumni and friends who include the University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation in their estate plans help to secure the future of UMass Amherst. These gifts fuel every part of our mission and create a legacy that will contribute to the university's rise to the upper echelon of public research institutions.

Membership is reserved for individuals who have designated the UMass Amherst Foundation as a beneficiary of their estate plans through any of the following vehicles: Wills, Trusts, Life Insurance, Gift Annuities, Retirement Plans, and Retained Life Estates.

Gifts may be unrestricted or can be directed to strengthen any area—from scholarships and research fellowships to endowed faculty positions and the enhancement of laboratories. Or you may provide future support to another area of the university to which you feel a particular affinity.

Among the benefits of membership:

• An invitation to the Chancellor's Breakfast during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend
• Full access to planned giving professionals to help you customize your estate giving strategy
• Access to special events and seminars
• A subscription to our planned giving newsletter with helpful tips on estate and financial planning topics.

Amounts of individual gifts or bequests are never stated and the desire for any donor members to remain anonymous will be respected unconditionally.

William Smith Clark: A Brief History
The Clark Society is named for the first active president of Massachusetts Agricultural College, William Smith Clark. Clark served the university from 1867 through 1879 and is credited with leading the movement to bring the new agricultural college, under the Morrill Land Grant Act, to western Massachusetts.

As president, teacher, and administrator of the struggling new college, Dr. Clark's vision led UMass Amherst to the highly diversified research, teaching and public service university of today.

Generations have relied upon the collective, bold thinking of individuals to make discoveries that lead the way to better, healthier, and more fulfilled living. Behind each one of those discoveries are those whose vision was also bold enough to support them.

It is the foresight and commitment of today's Clark Society members that will perpetuate William Smith Clark's dream, hold open the doors of education and prepare citizens to actively engage in the prosperity of the Commonwealth, the nation and the world.

Read how other supporters are making a difference at the UMass Amherst Foundation.