Beth Salerno ’91 and Tod Ramseyer ’89

Beth and Tod found inspiration at Haverford not only to pursue academic careers, but also to live lives of service that speak their values—including making planned gifts to Haverford that reflect their values.

Beth and Tod pursued different paths at Haverford: she studied American history while he studied physics and astronomy. They became friends, stayed in touch after graduation, and eventually started to date. They married at the Haverford Friends Meetinghouse and celebrated in Founders Great Hall, with the bridal party and guests lodging in various spots on campus—including the bride’s parents’ RV parked in the South Lot.

More than two decades later, while visiting campus last summer, Beth and Tod chuckled at those memories and became animated when relaying the importance of their time at Haverford. Now teaching at small liberal arts colleges, the couple has long included Haverford in their future planning. At the time of their marriage, they named Haverford in their first will and affirmed its primacy when revisiting their planning recently. Beth recalled that, as a young alumna, even when her discretionary income could not match her philanthropic enthusiasm, she began making tiny annual contributions to Haverford’s annual giving campaign. She also supplemented dollars with service, volunteering as a class correspondent, admission volunteer, and contributor to the magazine, among other roles. At the time, it mattered to her that Haverford celebrated her small gifts every year.

Now that both she and Tod have reached the point in their lives when they can speak their values more demonstrably through their philanthropy, they have chosen to establish a Deferred Gift Annuity (DGA) at Haverford. The arrangement provides them with a charitable tax deduction in the year of its funding—and when Tod turns 72, it will pay them a guaranteed income for the remainder of both of their lives. Upon their passing, proceeds will benefit Haverford. Beth acknowledged that while the planned gift will provide them with income in retirement and, therefore, has some positive retirement implications for them, it is more a philanthropic strategy. “Why would we wait in making such a gift? We are making a long-term investment in an institution in which we believe. Everybody wins.”

This investment in Haverford reflects the impact that both believe Haverford has had on their lives. Tod, who is also the son and sibling of Fords (his late father, Steve ’61, and his sister Jennifer Breslin ’94), credits Haverford with the strong educational foundation to go to graduate school and to teach. “We received a world-class education and entered graduate school with a breadth of knowledge that others did not have.” As important, it taught them broader philosophical approaches to life and learning that served them as undergraduates and beyond—like how to work in community and resolve conflicts.

Beth elaborated that when they first included Haverford in their estate plans 24 years ago, it was because they wanted to be part of educating students who would make the world a better place. Now, they have been pleased to see how Haverford has “diversified so much and has been walking the social justice walk.” They’ve seen their contributions as a means to leverage the impact that they can make in the world by providing students access to this distinctive community, and educating and transforming them to go forth into the world to make change. “Funding Haverford enables us to help in multiple things we care about deeply,” said Beth. “Access to higher education, social justice, diversifying who has the ability to make change in society, and creating alumni who share these values.”

Beth pointed out that too often people wait until retirement or until a crisis to act. In their case, she said that they found it helpful to think early on about what they’d like to leave behind. Some tools—like the DGA—are so easy. “Once family is taken care of, what values do you hope to leave behind in the world? Every time you are presented with a beneficiary form and are asked to consider who to name, this is the time to think about values. Haverford is one answer to that.”

Tod continues the train of thought: “You don’t have to be wealthy to fund a charitable gift annuity or to name Haverford in your will. One can support Haverford at different financial levels. If the College is important to you, you can find a way to contribute something—and often far more than you might have thought possible.”

Tod Ramseyer ’89 and Beth Salerno ’91 met at Haverford College and followed separate paths through graduate school, with Beth studying at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Tod at the University of Texas at Austin. When their paths reconverged, they wed in the Haverford Friends Meetinghouse and took faculty appointments near each other at liberal arts colleges in New Hampshire. Beth is now a professor of history at Saint Anselm College and Tod is an associate professor of physics and mathematics at New England College.