Pass It On: The Gift of Opportunity
The day after Jim Harteis graduated from Delaware Valley College (now University) in 1965, he wrote a letter to the board and the president. In it, he thanked them for giving him the opportunity to work hard and earn his dairy science degree.
"I had so many people helping me," he says. "And I didn't have one experience that wasn't positive with my instructors." Looking back on his college years as a student with lean financial resources but a wealth of support, Jim has found a way to perpetuate the generosity.
He's created a unique DelVal legacy by combining his current giving with future support through a gift in his estate plan, also known as a bequest. With this blended approach to giving, Jim invests in the University today and helps ensure it can plan for the future with confidence.
He is the founding benefactor of the James L. Harteis Emergency Endowed Scholarship Fund. Jim also recently established the James L. Harteis '65 and Ruth Harteis Agricultural Endowment Fund to support the University's agricultural programs in perpetuity through a generous $1.5 million gift.
"Jim's commitment helps ensure that we can provide deserving students the same quality experiences that he had. We are grateful," says Keith Richardson, vice president for development and alumni affairs.
"It was absolutely a no-brainer," Jim says of his DelVal gift—a small token for what he gained through his college experience. Now retired, Jim was a successful dairy farmer, winning several state prizes for the highest milk-producing herd. He also won the Alumni Achievement Award for Animal Science at DelVal in 1985, among other notable honors.
"My life certainly wouldn't have happened if DelVal hadn't first given me the opportunity."
To learn more about creating your lasting impact at DelVal, contact Joseph Fiochetta at 215.489.2921 or joe.fiochetta@delval.edu.