Brad and Linda Gottfried Announce Leadership Gift
Over the years, CSM President Dr. Brad Gottfried and his wife, Linda, left, have established annual scholarships for students at the College of Southern Maryland. Particularly satisfying for the Gottfrieds has been the opportunity to connect with their scholarship recipients, such as Emma Ansell, right, during an annual reception that brings students and donors together for an evening.
$110,000 Gift Will Serve Future Generations
Dr. Brad Gottfried, president of College of Southern Maryland, and his wife, Linda, have an obvious passion for education. Over the years they have given both an annual and an endowed scholarship to the college, but most recently they have worked to ensure their support for scholarships will impact generations of students well into the future.
The Gottfrieds are making a leadership gift of $110,000 in cash and a deferred gift to the CSM Foundation to help kick start the foundation’s $10 million “Make An Impact Campaign.” A $10,000 portion of the gift will be directed to their annual scholarship and the rest will be directed to the Bradley and Linda Gottfried Endowment Fund – a part of their living trust to the foundation.
Mrs. Gottfried summed up the gift by quoting a Greek proverb.
“A society grows great when men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in,” she said. “That’s what we are doing. We’re planting a tree (whose shade we’re never going to sit in) but somebody will, and they’ll benefit from the scholarship money and go on to do great things. It’s a gift that keeps giving.”
The couple also have established Against All Odds annual and endowed scholarships at the college to help those students who are overcoming personal challenges as they begin their college journey, and they established an art scholarship for art majors to help with tuition and supplies.
“As president of this college for 10 years, I’m out in the community regularly. I know the students. I know what their dreams and aspirations are and I know so many of them just are not able to get an education,” Mr. Gottfried said. “So for Linda and me, it’s giving back to the community. It’s helping individuals who really want an education to be able to afford an education. You can’t take your money with you, so it makes perfect sense for us to leave a legacy for the college and for the community.”
After making this leadership gift, the Gottfrieds now are encouraging the Southern Maryland community to consider the Impact Campaign as a way to invest today to transform tomorrow.
“What do you want to be remembered for? What do you want to leave for future generations? We’re leaving a legacy that will go on for generations,” Mr. Gottfried said. “We are planning for the future as well as paying for the here-and-now. Through our current scholarships we are giving two to four scholarships a year. The endowment will continue when we pass and the interest will go to pay for scholarships, letting us direct our money to something we both believe in.”
CSM’s Impact Campaign is a three-year outreach and fundraising effort that is set to culminate in 2018 with the college’s 60th anniversary. “Make Your Impact: Invest Today to Transform Tomorrow” will address access, affordability and achievement by ensuring that high-caliber programs, facilities, and technology are accessible, that degree programs and career training are available to everyone through scholarships, and that partnerships and creative innovation are created and sustained in the community.
“The public launch of the campaign is planned for this fall,” CSM;s Vice President of Advancement Michelle Goodwin said. “The CSM Foundation and our employees look forward to reaching out to alumni, supporters, and friends to help keep CSM affordable and accessible and the best value in higher education, career training, and personal enrichment for the people of Southern Maryland.”
As an honor for the Gottfrieds’ Impact Campaign gift, the Center for Business and Industry Conference Room 104 and the Business Building first floor lobby on the La Plata campus will be named in their honor. For information on the Impact campaign initiatives and naming opportunities, visit the foundation or call the foundation at 301-934-7649.
For more about the College of Southern Maryland, visit their Leader member page.
