Leaving a Legacy

The Albright Society

The Albright Society, named for Professor Emerita and former Dean of Students Thelma Albright, gratefully acknowledges and recognizes alumni and friends who make a commitment to Queens University through a will, living trust, or some form of planned giving.

Though Ms. Albright passed in 2000, her six-decade impact on Queens was undeniable and is still felt today. She was recognized with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, an Honorary Alumna Award, the naming of Albright Residence Hall, and an Honorary Doctorate degree.

The Albright Legacy Society reflects Thelma Albright’s devotion to Queens as well as her role in developing minds and character—just as planned gifts will do for decades to come. Gifts such as these provide a higher degree of opportunity for Royals today and for generations to come.

A Unique Impact

Planned gifts are more than financial commitments—they are deeply personal acts of belief in the transformative power of education. They allow you to invest in what matters most to you, through what matters most to Queens: preparing students to lead lives of meaning and service.

Your legacy might fund scholarships for first-generation college students, support leadership and global learning opportunities, enhance faculty-led research, or preserve the beauty and historic architecture of our campus. However you direct it, your gift becomes part of the fabric of Queens—a place where tradition and innovation rise together.

At Queens, we believe that transformation happens person-to-person, student-to-professor, mentor-to-mentee. Planned giving is a way to extend that transformation beyond your lifetime. It fundamentally strengthens the university, ensuring we never stand still, but remain ever rising.

“Donor support has greatly impacted my time at Queens. I have been privileged to have received multiple scholarships, including the Hamrick Music Scholarship. These scholarships have given me the opportunity to attend this university to become the leader that I am within student engagement, residence life, and my major.” ~ Becca Rager ’26

The Hamrick Music Scholarship was created through a planned gift.

Who Makes a Planned Gift?

There’s no single path to becoming a planned giving donor. For some, a bequest is their first and only major gift — a way to express gratitude and make a lasting difference. For others, it’s a natural next step in a long journey of philanthropy.

Whether you’re a Queens graduate honoring a favorite professor, a family member wishing to memorialize a Royal, a local entrepreneur supporting a program to build a pipeline to innovation, or a Charlottean ensuring that the next generation has access to life-changing opportunities, a planned gift lets you create a legacy on your terms. Queens has been strengthened by the generosity of individuals from all backgrounds and affiliations—each moved by the mission of preparing students to become critical thinkers, innovative problem-solvers, and global citizens who lead with purpose.

Every planned gift, regardless of size, reflects a personal story and a powerful belief in what’s possible through philanthropy and education. It’s a powerful embodiment of our motto, non Ministrari, sed Ministrare, ‘not to be served, but to serve’.

Planned Gifts Support:

• Scholarships that open doors for deserving students
• Transformative experiences like study abroad, career preparation, and leadership development
• Faculty research, travel, and continued professional growth
• The flexibility to meet the moment—responding to the university’s greatest and most urgent needs
• The ability to meet the moment, answering the call for the greatest need
• Preservation and care of our cherished campus, historic buildings, and green spaces
• Hands-on student research that sparks discovery and innovation
• The area of education you are most passionate about—whatever has shaped your own journey, or the future you want to influence

The Albright Society Benefits

Benefits of membership in the Albright Society include:

• A Queens-branded commemorative gift
• Invitations to university events and celebrations
• Special updates from the university

By including Queens in your estate plans, you join a visionary group of alumni and friends ensuring that Queens continues to rise—serving Charlotte and the world for generations to come.

Learn More or Share Your Plans

Lesley Bynum Swartz ‘87
Senior Advancement Officer
704-904-8777
swartzl@queens.edu

Lindsey Kelly
Director, Donor Relations
704-337-2527
kellyl@queens.edu