Finding a Way to Fund a Scholarship

Ernest “Bub” Kovacs and Emma Davis-Kovacs

Emma Davis-Kovacs (BA ’72, MEd ’75) and Ernest “Bub” Kovacs have had an enduring relationship with The College of New Jersey for well over 50 years. Emma attributes a good deal of her career success to her degrees from the college and for Bub establishing a foundational career path in higher education.

As they began to wind down their careers and ease into retirement, estate planning and philanthropy were foremost on their minds. They spent a good deal of time with their accountant, estate planning attorney and family to determine the best ways to contribute to TCNJ while also making tax-advantaged donations.

They are using a variety of tools to fund a scholarship for a student in the early childhood education program within the School of Education. They have chosen to purchase charitable gift annuities, which give them an immediate tax deduction while providing dependable income for the rest of their lives. Increased CGA rates at the time made the choice more appealing.

Additionally, they have committed to cash contributions over the next five years to jump-start the Current Use Scholarship, which will be awarded starting next year. They also will use their Kovacs Family Fund/Donor Advised Fund to contribute to the scholarship.

“We are pleased to be able to support students at TCNJ and look forward to meeting scholarship recipients on campus in the future,” Emma says.

Like Emma and Bud, you can support students’ futures through a variety of giving tools that also give back to you. To learn more, please contact Jim Spencer, CAP® at 609-771-3285 or jspencer@tcnj.edu.