Scholarship Recipient Laura Delavie '92 Gives Back by Establishing Scholarship for Future Augsburg Students

Donor Photo

Laura Delavie '92

She Named Augsburg as a Life Insurance and IRA Beneficiary

Words surround Laura Delavie '92 in her Bloomington, Minn., office. Act. Thrive. Imagine. They appear in creative bold fonts and different sizes against bright, lime-green walls.

Over her door is a word she made up: Ideact. It means putting ideas into action, and is an acronym for Insights/Imagine, Design, Execute, Assess, Change and Thrive.

Her gift of life insurance to Augsburg, and naming Augsburg as a beneficiary of her IRA, are inspiring examples of Delavie's own ideaction.

Out of gratitude for her education at Augsburg and for the scholarships she received, she is establishing the Inner Peace Scholarship Fund. She intends to reach the minimum $25,000 gift amount for an endowed scholarship fund through current gifts and have her estate plan gifts expand the fund after her lifetime.

The Inner Peace Scholarship will go to philosophy, sociology or psychology students at Augsburg with preference for students "who wish to study and help others with the 'examined life' of the soul, leading them to inner peace and ultimately peace for others."

Delavie Says Giving Life Insurance Is Easy

"Giving life insurance is easy," Delavie says. "It is a gift that will help the college in the future. The payout will come after my life is over, so I will never need those dollars. Insurance is an asset I can use to help the people or organizations I most care about. When I was considering possible beneficiaries, Augsburg is one of the first places that came to mind."

She double majored in philosophy and communications, though initially the thought of philosophy scared her. On the first day of class Dr. Markus Fuehrer wrote on the chalkboard: Why? Then he said, "This is what philosophers do. They ask this question." She thought to herself, "I ask that question all the time," and instantly felt comfortable and engaged.

After graduating, her career path was circuitous. She went to Europe for several months, worked for Family Service Employee Resources and then found a job at Donaldson Co. doing off-road inside sales of heavy machinery. Later she helped launch the loyalty program for Rainforest Café, and then worked at BI Worldwide for four years, moving up to be an area director for account managers.

Finding Her Vocation as a Change Agent Business Consultant

When she was downsized out of a job, Delavie decided to pursue further education and attended classes at the Creative Problem Solving Institute, and later received a master's degree from St. Thomas University in change leadership, specializing in organizational development.

Delavie launched her own firm, ALCEMIS, in 2003. She works to "move people to think and act differently to help organizations realize profitable growth. We aim to spark and guide the imagination to wildly successful results."

Cross-Disciplinary Character of CSBR Excites Delavie

What excites her about Augsburg "is seeing and hearing what is new and what is compelling. I am so happy that the college wants to build a building that houses science, business and religion. Augsburg is a Lutheran school rooted in faith, and yet creating cross-disciplinary work among these three departments speaks to a 'Yes, and...' approach. At Augsburg these departments are not diametrically opposed. They are collaborating, and collaboration is one of my favorite words and concepts."

Delavie also volunteers at Augsburg through AWE, Augsburg Women Engaged. "Volunteering and creating estate plan gifts are both ways to give back. That's important to me. I love to learn, and I'm grateful that Augsburg is so vibrant today. It is a pleasure to support people who have a passion for learning."

Learn How You Can Help

For information on how you can easily leave a gift through your estate plans to Augsburg, contact Amy Alkire at 612-330-1188 or alkirea@augsburg.edu today.

A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to Augsburg University a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan

"I give to Augsburg University, a nonprofit corporation currently located at 2211 Riverside Ave., CB 142, Minneapolis, MN 55454, or its successor thereto, ______________ [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose."

able to be changed or cancelled

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cannot be changed or cancelled

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the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation

the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase

the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

The person receiving the gift annuity payments.

the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid

a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will

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You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

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You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to Augsburg University as a lump sum.

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A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and Augsburg University where you agree to make a gift to Augsburg University and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.
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