When Bobby Gibbs ’10 was a Yale student, he was active in his residential college, Jonathan Edwards (JE). “I worked in the head of college’s office, served on the college council, sang in the JE a cappella group, worked in the buttery, and played string bass for orchestras and shows around campus,” he says, laughing. “Everybody always needs a bass player.”

He would also attend fellows’ dinners at JE, and it was during one such gathering that he first became aware of the crucial role giving plays at Yale.

“A deputy provost gave us a presentation on Yale’s overall budget and why Alumni Fund gifts are so essential to the budget,” Bobby continues. “That stuck with me, through my time as a student and ever since.”

“When I learned about charitable gift annuities (CGAs), I saw the benefits for both Yale and myself immediately,” Bobby says. He recently made a gift of stock for a deferred CGA, ultimately designated for the Alumni Fund to use for financial aid.

“Yale is better at investing than I am,” he notes. “The CGA creates an opportunity for the money I gave to grow. Years from now, I hope my gift will provide a similar amount of income I would draw from a comparable retirement account, but the overall baseline of the gift may be greater than if I had placed it in a retirement fund or invested it myself to donate later. This way, more of the money goes to Yale and not taxes or management fees.”

Bobby is passionate about Yale and the importance of giving. “Every dollar helps, and it’s very important that young alums who are thinking about retirement take advantage of what Yale does to make these kinds of gifts go further.”