About the Society

In 1812, Benjamin F. Raymond contributed land to open the St. Lawrence Academy, the
common school that would one day become SUNY Potsdam. Raymond then paid for the
construction of the one-room school building and served as Senior Trustee of the
St. Lawrence Academy Board. In honor of all Raymond made possible at SUNY Potsdam,
the College launched its most prestigious gift society in 1996 in his name.

For 23 years, the Benjamin F. Raymond Society celebrated alumni and friends who created
a lifelong relationship with the College by planning an estate gift. In 2019, the society was
rebranded as the Raymond Legacy Society and expanded its membership to include those
who establish lifelong relationships by funding endowments at the College.

The Raymond Legacy Society is more than a membership of generous donors; it now also provides education and service to all alumni and friends about the methods and processes of giving and how to include SUNY Potsdam in your lifelong philanthropic plan.

From annual gifts to estate gifts, supporting charities through your philanthropy becomes more complex each year. The Raymond Legacy Society helps donors with the process of making gifts. The Society’s mission of service and education allows us to:

• Help donors create and expand their philanthropic plans at SUNY Potsdam and better understand the process of making gifts
• Educate donors on the various types of gift vehicles and assets that maximize the benefits to them and to the College
• Provide educational materials, seminars, webinars and workshops on all methods of giving
• Share volunteer opportunities for Society members to help through stories, articles and presentations
• Document donors’ gift processes through pledge and gift agreements for endowment and estate gifts, and administer the receipt of estate gifts

Endowment and estate gift members of the Raymond Legacy Society receive special recognition and opportunities to help promote and advance the mission of the Society:

• Invitations to special donor activities throughout the year, including the annual Legacy Luncheon and special gatherings during Reunion Weekend
• A Raymond Legacy Society lapel pin
• A Raymond Legacy Society ribbon on SUNY Potsdam event name tags
• Special communications related to giving and its impact on campus
• Opportunities to tell your donor story to encourage others to give
• Annual reports and updates related to your endowed fund’s use and performance (for endowment donors only)

Membership in the Raymond Legacy Society is open to all alumni, parents and friends who demonstrate a lifelong dedication to the success of the College through their estate plans and/or endowments. There is no minimum age or amount requirement for estate gifts. There is a minimum gift amount for all endowments. Spouses/partners are welcomed into the Society as well. Members may remain anonymous if they choose.

Members are invited to share as much or as little information as they wish about their estate gift plans, though sharing information allows the College to better document the donor’s gift intentions. All information shared remains private, but if you allow, your story can help encourage others to make similar gifts.

Endowed gifts and certain estate gifts are eligible to fulfill gift pledges and to count in SUNY Potsdam fundraising campaigns, in anniversary reunion fundraising and towards annual President’s Club recognition.

For more information and to join the Raymond Legacy Society contact Jason Ladouceur ’94
at giftplan@potsdam.edu or (315) 267-2123.