A Symbol of Strength and Stability
Joining the Bartlett Tower Society is one of the most powerful ways you can express your devotion to Dartmouth—by including the College in your estate plan.
The Bartlett Tower Society is named for Bartlett Tower, the 71-foot-tall symbol of strength and stability overlooking the Bema in College Park. The tower honors Samuel Colcord Bartlett, Class of 1836, who served as Dartmouth’s eighth president, from 1877 to 1892.
President Bartlett elevated fundraising as an institutional priority—he secured more than $700,000 through lifetime gifts and realized bequests—and he was instrumental in the development of College Park.
Joining the Bartlett Tower Society
There are many ways to join the BTS including:
- Leaving a specified amount or percentage of your estate to Dartmouth in your will or trust (bequest)
- Naming Dartmouth as a beneficiary on your retirement plan, life insurance policy, or donor advised fund
- Establishing a charitable gift annuity
- Establishing a charitable remainder trust
- Establishing a Dartmouth Donor Advised Fund
Membership Experiences
The benefits of the Bartlett Tower Society include exclusive invites to private events in Hanover, as well as other opportunities to stay connected to current Dartmouth students and other members of the Dartmouth community.
Contact Us
To learn more about including Dartmouth in your estate plans and the Bartlett Tower Society, complete the form below and a member of the Gift Planning team will follow up with you.
Stories from the Bartlett Tower Society
“Planned Giving is Such an Easy Way for Young People to Engage in Philanthropy”
Patrick Bedard GR’19 is vice president and director of administration at First Bank of the Lake. He joined the Bartlett Tower Society in 2025 by naming Dartmouth as an IRA beneficiary.
Helping Keep Dartmouth Affordable for Future Generations
A retired gift planning professional and longtime Dartmouth volunteer leader, Stefanie Valar ’76 shares how a simple legacy gift can help keep Dartmouth affordable for future generations.
“I Have Such Warm Feelings for the College.”
Learn how Peter Pappas ’58 uses charitable remainder unitrusts (CRUTs) to generate income for his family and support Dartmouth financial aid for generations to come.
“This Feels Like a Gift with More Emotional Meaning.”
For Karen Hung Raghavan ’99 and Sharat Raghavan ’98, a planned gift to Dartmouth is a meaningful way to honor their experience and create opportunities for future generations.
Bartlett Tower Society Impact
Including Dartmouth in your estate plans is an expression of love and an article of faith. By making a planned gift, you’ve declared that no matter how much Dartmouth continues to grow and change, you trust it will remain true to its core mission: to educate the most promising students and prepare them for a lifetime of learning and of responsible leadership.
Realized bequests received in 2025 from Bartlett Tower Society Members (including an extraordinary bequest from Barbara and Glenn Britt ’71)
Percent of all leads generated by class gift planning chairs in FY25
If Your Giving Plans Include Dartmouth
We would like to ensure you are welcomed as a member! Complete our online bequest form to let us know you’ve included Dartmouth in your estate plans. If you need assistance, contact the Gift Planning team at gift.planning@dartmouth.edu or 800-451-4067.
Remembering Dartmouth or other nonprofits you care about in your will or trust can reduce your estate taxes and will benefit future generations. You can revise your gift at any time should your circumstances change.
Please note: Dartmouth’s Gift Planning Office does not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult your attorney or tax advisor prior to entering into any gift planning arrangement.
