Reflections Yield Gift for Future Students

Reflecting on my undergraduate education at Carnegie Mellon University and the path that led to my career as a psychologist, I recognize the enormous role the university played in establishing a strong foundation for my career.

Students at CMU were encouraged to reach out to those outside their own departments. The experience of spending time with people studying drama, engineering, mathematics, painting, architecture, sculpting and the sciences gave me an opportunity to see the world through many different lenses and, therefore, to think and problem-solve critically and creatively.

The importance of my connections to faculty and, especially, my experiences outside of the classroom cannot be overstated. The diversity of the student population had a powerful influence on me. I continue to treasure the growth-producing experiences I had at CMU.

For this reason, it is important to me to find a way to provide future CMU students with the resources needed to experience similar opportunities during their time as undergraduates.

As an Annual Fund donor for 25 years, CMU has always been a philanthropic priority of mine. In re-examining my estate plan, I decided that including the Department of Psychology in my estate plan could be an investment I could make in Carnegie Mellon students. My hope is to enrich their experiences at CMU and expand the contributions they can make in their chosen professions.

With the guidance of CMU’s Office of Gift Planning, I have created a plan to establish a permanent fund that will support research and internships for psychology students. The knowledge that my legacy will allow CMU students to enrich their work brings me satisfaction and joy.

I hope you have your own wonderful CMU memories and will seriously consider including future students in your estate planning. It’s a most rewarding way to make a difference for the future.

If you, too, would like to help support psychology students or students in any field of endeavor, please contact CMU’s Office of Gift Planning and allow them to share creative ideas that may work for you!

All the best,
Sherry M. Sukol (DC 1973)