Havergal College & The Havergal College Foundation Impact Report 2019-20

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PLANNED GIVING

One of my passions is to see young girls be given the chance for an education worldwide. “

A Lifelong Connection: Why I Have Included Havergal in My Estate Plan

I am enormously grateful to Havergal College for many reasons. I arrived at the school as an extremely shy and intimidated Grade 8 Boarding student from San Francisco and left after Grade 12 to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) bursting with visions, dreams, hope and confidence. I planned on studying engineering as my major, because I wanted to build the first bridge across the Atlantic Ocean (this was obviously before even the trans-Atlantic Concorde plane had been developed). I saw no discernable obstacles. The school was truly transformative for me. How lucky were we at Havergal that our parents and culture believed in us and our potential so much to send us to one of the top girls schools in the world? Yes, many of us had brothers at other neighbouring boys schools, but our parents included us in their dreams for their children. Although there was doubt expressed on the value of women in general at that time, we were told to go out into the world and make a difference. What empowering words for any child to hear, but especially for a young woman. I re-engaged with Havergal 30 years ago as a member and then President of the U.S.-based Havergal College Foundation. Our mission was to provide a base for Old Girls living in the U.S. We have had regional reunions in New York City, Boston and San Francisco. There has always been joy at simply connecting, regardless of the Class Year we were in. It was just the “experience.” This undefinable je ne sais quoi that brings Old Girls together. So why have I included Havergal in my will? The first reason is gratitude. I certainly became a good student and went on to receive degrees from UC Berkeley, Harvard and Stanford. I was able to channel my energies not only for the aforementioned bridge to the U.K., but for those less fortunate. I had hoped to become the head of the World Health Organization (that didn’t happen, either), but one of my passions is to see young girls be given the chance for an education worldwide. My second reason is to give other girls an opportunity for transformation. To emphasize how important that we, as women, are to the universal dialogue, whether it be Greta Thunberg or Mother Teresa. The world is listening, and there is not a moment to be wasted. I have been very fortunate in my life and duly respect the all-important role that the school has played. I am honoured to be able to include Havergal College in my estate plan. Louise Park MacMillan 1972

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