Supporting Saint Francis University
Ways to Give
Supporting SFU
For it is in giving that we receive.
Ways that you can support the mission of Saint Francis University:
- Answer the call when our students or staff reach out through fundraising efforts.
- Volunteer for your time and talents to mentor current students.
- Share news of the great things that your alma mater is doing with friends, family, and neighbors.
Connect with Us
Explore giving specific opportunities below and reach out with any questions.
Robert J. Crusciel '86
Vice President for Advancement
814-472-3021
rcrusciel@francis.edu
Annual Fund for Excellence
At Saint Francis University making a gift to the Annual Fund for Excellence is about making a difference in the lives of our students.
The Annual Fund for Excellence is about supporting an exceptional living and learning environment for current and future students. It is about providing resources throughout the campus for all programs and all students. It is about excellence in research, residence life, athletics, study away technology, and campus beautification projects.
Making a gift online is simple, direct and secure.
Support the Annual Fund for Excellence
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Your Gift Makes a Difference
Thank you for supporting Saint Francis University. Every donor and every gift makes a difference in students’ lives by improving the quality and value of a Saint Francis University education. Here are a few other ways you may give.
For more complete gift-giving information, or if you have questions, contact the Office of Advancement at 814-472-3021.
Gifts by Mail
You can make a gift with a check and mail to:
Saint Francis University
Annual Fund for Excellence
PO Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940
Credit Card Gifts
You may use your credit card to make a gift online or by calling 814-472-3021.
Recognition or Memorial Gifts
Recognition and Memorial Gifts including trees and benches offer an opportunity to honor someone special or remember a deceased loved one. Such gifts can be designed for any area within the University.
Deferred or Planned Gifts
Deferred or planned gifts allow you to contribute while providing you with tax benefits and a potential income source. Visit our planned giving page for answers to all of your estate planning questions.
Gift-In-Kind
To make a gift-in-kind donation, please complete the gift-in-kind form and submit it with your gift to the University.
Appreciated Securities/Stock
You may support Saint Francis University while receiving a charitable deduction and possibly avoiding capital gains taxes by donating through appreciated securities or stock. To ensure that your stock gift is promptly recorded and acknowledged with a receipt for your tax purposes, please notify our advancement services coordinator, Pam Zemrose (814-472-3148), to let her know that you would like to transfer a stock gift to the University. You may also let Pam know if you wish to restrict your gift to a specific purpose.
To complete the transaction to the university, she will need to know:
- Donor's Name
- Name of stock and number of shares
- Date of transfer
- Any restriction on the gift, if applicable
Then instruct your broker to transfer the stock to Saint Francis University by contacting the University's broker:
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc.
180 Charlotte Drive
Altoona, PA 16601
Karen Schraff, Manager
814-941-6070 or 800-533-6401
SFU Account #: 3184-4235
DTC: 0793 (Electronic Transfer Number)
Real Estate and Personal Property
Your home, land, and other real estate may be used to make an immediate or life income gift. As with appreciated securities, real estate gifts held for more than a year can offer significant tax benefits.
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If you are employed by a matching gift company, you can double, triple or even quadruple your gift to the Saint Francis University Annual Fund for Excellence. More than one thousand companies nationwide participate in the matching gift program.
The Matching Gift Program
Matching gift programs often vary by employer, both in eligibility and in the amount of the match. Some companies will match donations by employees, retirees and/or spouses. Procedures differ as well, but typically include the following simple steps.
Step 1: Find out if your company sponsors a matching gift program. Simply enter your employer's name and click on let's check.
Step 2: If your company participates, request a matching gift form from your employer's human resources office.
Step 3: Complete and sign the form.
Step 4: Return the matching gift form and your donation to:
Saint Francis University
Annual Fund for Excellence
PO Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940-0600
814-472-3021
advancecc@francis.edu
Your Gift Makes a Difference
Thank you for supporting Saint Francis University. Every donor and every gift makes a difference in students’ lives by improving the quality and value of a Saint Francis University education. Here are a few other ways you may give.
For more complete gift-giving information, or if you have questions, contact the Office of Advancement at 814-472-3021.
Gifts by Mail
You can make a gift with a check and mail to:
Saint Francis University
Annual Fund for Excellence
PO Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940
Credit Card Gifts
You may use your credit card to make a gift online or by calling 814-472-3021.
Recognition or Memorial Gifts
Recognition and Memorial Gifts including trees and benches offer an opportunity to honor someone special or remember a deceased loved one. Such gifts can be designed for any area within the University.
Deferred or Planned Gifts
Deferred or planned gifts allow you to contribute while providing you with tax benefits and a potential income source. Visit our planned giving page for answers to all of your estate planning questions.
Gift-In-Kind
To make a gift-in-kind donation, please complete the gift-in-kind form and submit it with your gift to the University.
Appreciated Securities/Stock
You may support Saint Francis University while receiving a charitable deduction and possibly avoiding capital gains taxes by donating through appreciated securities or stock. To ensure that your stock gift is promptly recorded and acknowledged with a receipt for your tax purposes, please notify our advancement services coordinator, Pam Zemrose (814-472-3148), to let her know that you would like to transfer a stock gift to the University. You may also let Pam know if you wish to restrict your gift to a specific purpose.
To complete the transaction to the university, she will need to know:
- Donor's Name
- Name of stock and number of shares
- Date of transfer
- Any restriction on the gift, if applicable
Then instruct your broker to transfer the stock to Saint Francis University by contacting the University's broker:
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc.
180 Charlotte Drive
Altoona, PA 16601
Karen Schraff, Manager
814-941-6070 or 800-533-6401
SFU Account #: 3184-4235
DTC: 0793 (Electronic Transfer Number)
Real Estate and Personal Property
Your home, land, and other real estate may be used to make an immediate or life income gift. As with appreciated securities, real estate gifts held for more than a year can offer significant tax benefits.
If you are employed by a matching gift company, you can double, triple or even quadruple your gift to the Saint Francis University Annual Fund for Excellence. More than one thousand companies nationwide participate in the matching gift program.
The Matching Gift Program
Matching gift programs often vary by employer, both in eligibility and in the amount of the match. Some companies will match donations by employees, retirees and/or spouses. Procedures differ as well, but typically include the following simple steps.
Step 1: Find out if your company sponsors a matching gift program. Simply enter your employer's name and click on let's check.
Step 2: If your company participates, request a matching gift form from your employer's human resources office.
Step 3: Complete and sign the form.
Step 4: Return the matching gift form and your donation to:
Saint Francis University
Annual Fund for Excellence
PO Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940-0600
814-472-3021
advancecc@francis.edu
A Gift to the University’s Future
Endowments, Scholarships, & Awards
Saint Francis depends upon annual contributions, endowed funds and planned gifts to provide financial assistance that will continue to generate income year after year to support educational opportunities and vital programs for future generations of students. Planned gifts are also a wonderful way to help the University increase our endowment.
Overview
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A gift to the endowment fund is a gift to Saint Francis University's future. This money is the principal in the University's investment portfolio that continues to generate income, supporting future generations of students. Only a calculated portion of the interest is used by the University, ensuring that the principal will continue to work indefinitely. The University's investment policies are structured to allow the University to satisfy donor goals and to generate sufficient interest over time to grow the principal, keeping pace with inflation. A pledge may be accepted for the establishment of a named endowment.
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Financial aid packages for Saint Francis students consist of scholarships granted by generous alumni and friends of the University. Keeping Saint Francis affordable to students is a top priority. Endowed scholarships are a permanent solution to the financial aid dilemma.
Donors may create a named endowed scholarship fund in memory or honor of a friend or loved one or leave a legacy with their name that will become a permanent addition to the Saint Francis University endowment. Donors of endowed funds are provided with annual financial reports on their funds and a description of the activities, students, and programs they benefit.
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Endowed chairs serve multiple needs at Saint Francis University including maintaining a faculty of distinction, encouraging scholarship among faculty and students, providing for visiting lecturers, granting financial aid to students, and generally enhancing scholarship and the teaching process.
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The Joseph and Marguerite DiSepio Chair in Computer Science
Established in 2001 by Saint Francis University alumni, Joseph ’58 and Marguerite (Scharpf) ’60 DiSepio, the endowment is committed to raising the level of excellence within the computer science department. The endowment funds faculty development, a distinguished lecture series, student internship programs and research and practices in the field of security and information assurance.
The Dr. Albert A. Zanzuccki Chair in Business Administration
Established in 2006 by Saint Francis alumni John S. ’64 and Sheila (Widmer) ’65 Connors, the endowment is named in honor of Dr. Albert Zanzuccki, professor emeritus and former chairman of the business administration department. The endowment is used to attract outstanding senior scholars and recognized business leaders to lecture and teach at the University, honor a distinguished Saint Francis faculty member, fund faculty and student research programs and other purposes as advised by a chair committee.
T.O.R. Endowment in Franciscan Studies and Roman Catholic Theology
Established in 2013 by Saint Francis alumni Louis P. DiCerbo '59. The endowment is used to attract national Franciscan and Roman Catholic scholars to the University, develop a professor-in-residence program and offer workshops. Each year the University will recognize a male and female who shows act of charity, love, and care for all of creation, along with service to the needy. This endowment will encourage all of us to live the type of lives that exemplify the characteristics of St. Francis, St. Clare and Dorothy Day.
Ann Eppard Memorial Scholarship and Congressional Internship
Established by Bud Shuster, Member of Congress (Ret.) and member of the Saint Francis University Board of Trustees. The fund will offer scholarships for summer Congressional internships in the U.S. Congress to qualified Saint Francis University students with a preference for young women from Pennsylvania but without regard for race, religion, or ethnicity. The program provides an excellent opportunity for students to experience the inner workings of a congressional office and learn how Congress operates as an institution.
Rudolph & Geraldine (Lingenfelter) Schonek Endowment for Excellence in Business Administration
Established in 1986 and expanded in 1990 by the late Rudolph and Geraldine M. Schonek of Johnstown. Mr. Schonek, a businessman, and Mrs. Schonek, a registered nurse, designated the fund to provide student scholarships, faculty and curriculum development programs and other enhancements for the business administration and nursing departments.
Rudolph & Geraldine (Lingenfelter) Schonek Endowment for Excellence in Nursing
Established in 1986 and expanded in 1990 by Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Schonek of Johnstown. Mr. Schonek, a retired businessman, and Mrs. Schonek, former registered nurse, designated the fund to provide student scholarships, faculty and curriculum development programs and other enhancements for the business administration and nursing departments.
William Ryan '66 and Judith Ryan Azzara '66 Scholarship
Established in 1997 by John 1964 and Sheila 1965 Connors and other classmates of William Ryan, a 1966 graduate of Saint Francis, who was killed in Vietnam in 1969 and Judith Ryan Azzara 1966. The scholarship is awarded annually to deserving students by the scholarship committee, one of which is a preferred education major.
A gift to the endowment fund is a gift to Saint Francis University's future. This money is the principal in the University's investment portfolio that continues to generate income, supporting future generations of students. Only a calculated portion of the interest is used by the University, ensuring that the principal will continue to work indefinitely. The University's investment policies are structured to allow the University to satisfy donor goals and to generate sufficient interest over time to grow the principal, keeping pace with inflation. A pledge may be accepted for the establishment of a named endowment.
Financial aid packages for Saint Francis students consist of scholarships granted by generous alumni and friends of the University. Keeping Saint Francis affordable to students is a top priority. Endowed scholarships are a permanent solution to the financial aid dilemma.
Donors may create a named endowed scholarship fund in memory or honor of a friend or loved one or leave a legacy with their name that will become a permanent addition to the Saint Francis University endowment. Donors of endowed funds are provided with annual financial reports on their funds and a description of the activities, students, and programs they benefit.
Endowed chairs serve multiple needs at Saint Francis University including maintaining a faculty of distinction, encouraging scholarship among faculty and students, providing for visiting lecturers, granting financial aid to students, and generally enhancing scholarship and the teaching process.
The Joseph and Marguerite DiSepio Chair in Computer Science
Established in 2001 by Saint Francis University alumni, Joseph ’58 and Marguerite (Scharpf) ’60 DiSepio, the endowment is committed to raising the level of excellence within the computer science department. The endowment funds faculty development, a distinguished lecture series, student internship programs and research and practices in the field of security and information assurance.
The Dr. Albert A. Zanzuccki Chair in Business Administration
Established in 2006 by Saint Francis alumni John S. ’64 and Sheila (Widmer) ’65 Connors, the endowment is named in honor of Dr. Albert Zanzuccki, professor emeritus and former chairman of the business administration department. The endowment is used to attract outstanding senior scholars and recognized business leaders to lecture and teach at the University, honor a distinguished Saint Francis faculty member, fund faculty and student research programs and other purposes as advised by a chair committee.
T.O.R. Endowment in Franciscan Studies and Roman Catholic Theology
Established in 2013 by Saint Francis alumni Louis P. DiCerbo '59. The endowment is used to attract national Franciscan and Roman Catholic scholars to the University, develop a professor-in-residence program and offer workshops. Each year the University will recognize a male and female who shows act of charity, love, and care for all of creation, along with service to the needy. This endowment will encourage all of us to live the type of lives that exemplify the characteristics of St. Francis, St. Clare and Dorothy Day.
Ann Eppard Memorial Scholarship and Congressional Internship
Established by Bud Shuster, Member of Congress (Ret.) and member of the Saint Francis University Board of Trustees. The fund will offer scholarships for summer Congressional internships in the U.S. Congress to qualified Saint Francis University students with a preference for young women from Pennsylvania but without regard for race, religion, or ethnicity. The program provides an excellent opportunity for students to experience the inner workings of a congressional office and learn how Congress operates as an institution.
Rudolph & Geraldine (Lingenfelter) Schonek Endowment for Excellence in Business Administration
Established in 1986 and expanded in 1990 by the late Rudolph and Geraldine M. Schonek of Johnstown. Mr. Schonek, a businessman, and Mrs. Schonek, a registered nurse, designated the fund to provide student scholarships, faculty and curriculum development programs and other enhancements for the business administration and nursing departments.
Rudolph & Geraldine (Lingenfelter) Schonek Endowment for Excellence in Nursing
Established in 1986 and expanded in 1990 by Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Schonek of Johnstown. Mr. Schonek, a retired businessman, and Mrs. Schonek, former registered nurse, designated the fund to provide student scholarships, faculty and curriculum development programs and other enhancements for the business administration and nursing departments.
William Ryan '66 and Judith Ryan Azzara '66 Scholarship
Established in 1997 by John 1964 and Sheila 1965 Connors and other classmates of William Ryan, a 1966 graduate of Saint Francis, who was killed in Vietnam in 1969 and Judith Ryan Azzara 1966. The scholarship is awarded annually to deserving students by the scholarship committee, one of which is a preferred education major.
Make a Big Impact With a Future Gift
Planned Giving
Planned giving is the practice of making charitable gifts that are structured and integrate sound personal, financial, and estate planning concepts with the donor's plans for lifetime and/or testamentary giving. Planned gifts are a way for individuals with various financial circumstances to make charitable gifts to Saint Francis, while continuing to meet current income needs and taking advantage of incentives available under current tax laws.