All Jane Allen Middleton ’78 MDiv ever wanted to be was a pastor, and she came to Yale to fulfill her dream. Now, having retired as a bishop in the United Methodist Church, she remembers her time at Yale Divinity School for the way it transformed her life and career.

“My heart, mind, and eyes were opened in so many ways,” Bishop Middleton says. “The community of different opinions, the range of denominations mixing together on campus, and the incredible faculty—Letty Russell, Henri Nouwen, and Margaret Farley ’73 PhD—all shaped my life and ministry.

“I have a great appreciation for all that Yale does for its students and alumni,” Bishop Middleton continues. “My husband and I want to give back, and we’re blessed enough to be able to do so at this time in our lives.”

She and her husband recently established a charitable gift annuity (CGA) to benefit scholarships at the Divinity School. “The CGA made a great deal of sense for us. It gives us an income right now, and if we decide we don’t need that, we can free up the funds for Yale immediately. With Yale’s record of investment, we are confident our gift will be substantial when the time comes for the balance to pay out.

“The Divinity School does an enormous amount for its students. There’s a joy in giving and a sense of satisfaction that we are making a difference for those who come to this life-changing place.”