Shirley Gerrior '89, 1892 Society Member

You don’t have to be wealthy to create a fund to help students at the University of Rhode Island pursue their educational dreams. Shirley Gerrior can attest to that.

After 23 years with the USDA, Gerrior retired in 2010. When it came time to sit down with a financial planner, her advisor suggested that she consider planned giving as an option that could provide charitable support to an organization of her choosing, while providing some financial and tax benefits to her. That suggestion sparked a wave of memories of her days at URI.

In her mid-30s, Gerrior chose to attend URI to pursue her Ph.D.—a big decision, as it meant she would have to trade her full-time job for full-time study and three part-time jobs. She was also, at that time, in the Army Reserves.

The Massachusetts native who eventually settled in North Carolina, where she lives today with her husband, recalled one of her jobs in particular, which was at Rhode Island Hospital where she was able to conduct research focusing on nutritional requirements for trauma patients.

Years later, while working with the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Services,(now called the National Institute of Food and Agriculture), Gerrior had oversight of several nutrition-related research programs at universities across the country. It made her acutely aware of “what was happening at the universities—the programs, the budget struggles of recent years, and all the good things that are going on, too.”

As she sat with her financial planner, Gerrior began to see how she could give back to URI as a way of thanking the institution that had provided the education that led to her satisfying and successful nutrition career. During her time at URI, Gerrior had herself received a scholarship that helped with her tuition. She decided to establish the Shirley Ann Gerrior Scholarship Endowment, which will support research fellowships for graduate students in the College of Environment and Life Sciences at URI when fully funded through her planned gift. Through her act of kindness and generosity, Gerrior also became a member of the University’s legacy society, the 1892 Society, which recognizes those who have provided for URI in their estate plans.

“I had not considered that I could create a fund that would go on after I’m gone,” Gerrior says. She has specifically named URI as beneficiary of a percentage of her life insurance policy and also a percentage residuary beneficiary of her trust.

“I think the idea of planned giving after you’re gone is important to think about, especially with baby boomers like me,” says Gerrior. “It had never dawned on me. I’m always thinking to give up front. And many people might not be in a position to do that. I don’t have children so this was one way of making sure that my money is used to support a good cause. People don’t always think about gift planning, so I would highly recommend looking into it as an option.”