Memorial, commemorative and honorary gifts have been an important part of the history and tradition of Samuel Merritt College. From gifts such as the Hall Nursing Award, given in 1971 to honor the fine nursing care at Merritt Hospital, and named in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Chaffee E. Hall, to every small memorial gift made by one alumnus in the name of another, the College has provided its alumni and friends with a fitting way to honor or memorialize family and friends.

Today, the Samuel Merritt Memorial & Commemorative Gift Program is a meaningful way to mark occasions, which profoundly touch our lives. The program offers the means both to celebrate those events that bring us joy, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or reunions, and to memorialize the loss of family or friends.

Commemorative giving is also an important expression of support for Samuel Merritt, since it provides us with resources to sustain our campus, our students, and the College as a whole.

We invite you to join us in this tradition of commemoration. There are several opportunities for giving through the Memorial & Commemorative Gift Program, each with its own special flavor.

Unrestricted Gifts
Unrestricted gifts are vitally important to the college and its work. They are used to support the College's operating budget and its endowment.

Making a Major Memorial Gift
Gifts of $5,000 or more can also be made in loving remembrance of family members and friends who have enriched our lives. Such gifts can be made through contributions of cash, property, or securities. Planned and deferred gifts offer other options for you and for the support of Samuel Merritt. We welcome contributions through bequests, wills, trusts, or life insurance. Please contact the Development Office (510-869-8628) to explore the possibilities for giving which would best fit your needs.

Scholarship Gifts
Meeting the financial aid needs of our students is an ongoing challenge for Samuel Merritt. A number of generous alumni and donors have chosen to establish named scholarships at the college in memory of a loved one; hundreds have made memorial gifts to the Samuel Merritt College Nursing Scholarship Fund and the Alumni Scholarship Fund among others. If you want to know more about existing scholarship funds serving special purposes in the College, Please contact the Development Office.

Acknowledgement
Samuel Merritt College acknowledges each commemorative gift by sending a personal letter to the person, or family of the person, in whose name the gift was made. This notification of the donor's contribution does not include the amount of the gift. Donor's themselves receive a separate acknowledgement for their records.