Stark-Harrold Endows Scholarship and Makes Estate-Plan Gift with Her IRA

When Bette Stark-Harrold ’77 visited her friend at SUNY Oneonta and took a tour of campus, “I knew I wanted to go there.” Now retired, Bette enjoyed a rewarding career as an occupational educator, serving more than 30 years with the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services. 

A loyal supporter of the Fund for Oneonta for over 30 years, Bette also became a member of the Netzer Planned Giving Society when she named the SUNY at Oneonta Foundation as a beneficiary of her retirement plan. She also recently endowed the Bette Stark-Harrold ’77 Scholarship for students who are Adolescence or Elementary Education majors with financial need.

“I funded my endowed scholarship with IRA charitable rollovers,” Bette says. “This gift vehicle was tax efficient and easy to establish with our IRA custodian. I could make a significant gift without using cash or other assets, and it fulfilled my required minimum distribution without triggering a taxable event.”

Her current giving supports the scholarship, and her planned gift will be directed to the unrestricted endowment. “I established the scholarship to make it a bit easier for the next generation of teachers,” Bette says. “I would hope they could focus on their education and not worry about the financial burden of tuition.”

Bette cherishes the lifelong friendships she made at SUNY Oneonta, with both peers and professors. “All of these smart, educated, strong women have left an indelible mark on my life,” she says. “They made me believe in myself and my chosen career as an educator. These women made me strive to be dedicated to my students as they had been to me. I am proud to be an Oneonta graduate.”