One of Eberhard and Shahla Wunderlich’s most memorable MIT experiences occurred long after they had graduated: in 2010, they accompanied students, faculty, and staff to Tena, Ecuador, through a joint program with the Priscilla King Gray Service Center (PKG Center) and the MIT Alumni Travel Program. The following year, they decided to start giving back to MIT through deferred charitable gift annuities (CGA) that can benefit both their household and their favorite programs at MIT.

The benefits of a deferred CGA.
When interest payments are deferred, a CGA produces a higher return for the donor. “We chose a deferred gift annuity because it represents a particularly good way of giving to MIT now, while providing a continuing retirement income for the rest of our lives,” Eberhard explains. “The gift annuity is a win-win for MIT as well as for us. We encourage others to explore the financial planning benefits of charitable gift annuities while at the same time realizing their philanthropic goals.”

Joining academics and service.
The Wunderlichs designated their deferred charita­ble gift annuities to support the PKG Center. “We want to enable MIT to expand access to public service and social entrepreneurship projects to more students,” says Shahla. “We’ve seen firsthand that the PKG Center is particularly effective at accomplishing this. It is inspiring to see students who have found the passion for developing their scientific, technical, and professional skills as well as the passion to create a better world for all.”

"We chose a deferred gift annuity because it represents a particularly good way of giving to MIT now, while providing a continuing retirement income for the rest of our lives.”

The power of experiential learning.
The Ecuador trip that the Wunderlichs attended brought together students, alumni, faculty, and staff to do fieldwork with the Kallari Association, a self-governed coalition of more than 850 cacao farming families from the Amazon basin. “We were impressed by how well the MIT undergraduate students were able to understand the true needs of the Ecuadorian farm families, and equally impressed by the commitment of the Ecuadorian families to sustainable farming practices that preserve their environment and way of life while improving their material well-being,” Shahla recalls. Eberhard agrees: “That project was a clear illustration that MIT students can very effectively learn the real needs of people by engaging in public service and volunteer activities. This learning can then enable them to create innovations and solu­tions that lead to a better world.”

Building a bright future.
“When we look to the future, we hope that MIT will continue to expand the options for public service and experiential learning for students,” says Shahla. Both she and Eberhard are glad that their deferred charitable gift annuities will support the MIT programs they love as well as their household in the present. “Because of MIT, we have been able to share in enabling this vision and creating an optimistic and better future for all,” says Eberhard.