Faith in the Future: Strengthening Catholic Education Through Planned Giving

Catholic education is close to the heart for Brian, Arts ’78, and Irene Binash. As the couple reflected on how they might help “close the leap” for students from Catholic high schools to afford Marquette, they realized a planned giving scholarship was their best way to accomplish it.

Being involved in the structure of the gift and its impact was important to the Binashes, so they decided to initiate the gift early instead of waiting to alert the university only as part of their will. The Binashes pledged a percentage of their estate to Marquette and worked with Marquette’s advancement team to direct that percentage toward scholarship.

“We hope our approach will inspire others to do likewise,” Brian and Irene said. “We are pleased to have the opportunity now to tailor our future estate gift so that it benefits Marquette students according to our desires and prescription.”

For them, the gift deepens their connection to Marquette and underscores the value of Catholic education at a university level.

“We felt it was important to empower students to have a solid, faith-based education while espousing the conservative Christian values we believe are so important in society today,” they said. “We believe this will enable students to take that education and further it into the community. Well-informed students contribute greatly to society, and the effect that will have over time will be invaluable.”

The scholarship is focused on helping students — especially first-generation college students — from Catholic high schools in urban areas, like Brian’s alma mater of St. Thomas More in Milwaukee.

“Knowing, while you are alive, that your desires will be followed after your death is indeed a very peaceful thing. That was what really drove us to make our intended gift known now. We have been blessed with much, and we are absolutely at peace knowing that our desires for our gift will be carried out according to our intentions. For that, we are eternally grateful.” —Brian and Irene Binash, Marquette Legacy Society members