The generosity and foresight of a UT alumnus and his wife have resulted in a scholarship fund that will benefit generations of UT engineering students.
The University of Toledo Foundation has received a gift of nearly $1.6 million from the estate of Fred Rieman (Eng ‘37), who died last June at the age of 95. UT received half of the Rieman estate, with the other half donated to the Toledo Museum of Art, through the wishes of Mr. Rieman’s late wife, Alice.
Mr. Rieman was a design engineer for Surface Combustion for over 40 years, and also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, involved in battles in Italy and North Africa.
The Riemans, who were married more than 60 years, were long-time supporters of UT and its activities, according to Mr. Rieman’s niece, Bonnie Ion.
“Their only daughter, Joyce, died at the early age of 36,” she said. “It was their joint decision to support The University of Toledo and the Toledo Museum of Art with the proceeds of their estate.”
Mrs. Ion said the family was pleased to see the University benefit from the estate, especially since she and all of Mr. Rieman’s nieces and his nephew attended UT for their own undergraduate degrees.
Vern Snyder, UT vice president for institutional advancement noted that planned gifts are advantageous to donors as well as the organizations they choose to benefit. “Mr. Rieman’s donation is a great example of foresight in providing our institution with a valuable and useful gift,” he said. “A deferred gift allows you to live the life you desire, and then benefit the organizations that were meaningful during your lifetime.”
Planned gifts from donors such as the Riemans continue to have lasting impacts at UT, said Nancy Koerner, J.D., UT director for planned giving.
“Mr. Rieman and others in his generation have been instrumental in shaping UT through visible and generous contributions of time, talent and gifts,” she explained. “Mr. Rieman’s planned gift is an investment in future generations, and is a model of the power that one person holds to help others. Mr. Rieman will inspire other people by his example.”
Ms. Koerner said the Fred and Alice Rieman Scholarship Fund is particularly beneficial because the Riemans made the gift with few restrictions, allowing the College of Engineering to direct the funds toward priority needs.
“Fred Rieman showed the trust he had in the University as a good steward of his gift for student aid,” said Ms. Koerner.
“Fred Rieman’s generosity will have a global impact,” said Dr. Nagi Naganathan, dean of UT’s College of Engineering. “He remembered that he was once a young engineering student, and his gift will help many of our students from around the world achieve their academic and professional goals.”
“In turn,” noted Dr. Naganathan, “this gift also will support The University of Toledo’s vision to be a transformative force for the world.”
For more information on making a planned gift to benefit The University of Toledo, contact Nancy Koerner, UT’s director for planned giving, at nancy.koerner@utoledo.edu or 419-530-5412.