Sisters Provide Financial Support for Future Northwestern Students

Jean Fiedler ’56 and Joan Fiedler ’56

“Our scholarships to Northwestern meant everything to us,” says Jean Fiedler, who graduated from Northwestern in 1956 along with her twin sister, Joan Fiedler. In gratitude, the sisters have committed to establishing an undergraduate scholarship at the University. The Jean and Joan Fiedler Scholarship Fund will be paid for with proceeds from multiple planned gifts, including charitable gift annuities, allowing the Fiedlers to maximize their impact on students, receive a fixed income stream, and enjoy significant tax benefits.

The Fiedlers, who grew up in Chicago, dreamed of going to Northwestern but were concerned about the cost. “As twins, there would be two of us attending college at the same time,” Joan says. “Our parents could never afford the tuition.”

At the encouragement of their high school principal, they both applied for and received scholarships. The sisters enrolled in Northwestern’s then School of Education, living at home and commuting to Evanston each morning for classes.

The Fiedlers also worked throughout college, parlaying the variety act they had started in high school into a professional one. The duo sang, danced, and played the accordion in what they describe as a “Lawrence Welk-style” act, which they performed in hotels, theaters, and other venues. They took time off from their education to perform across the United States and Europe, but ultimately earned their bachelor’s degrees in 1956.

The Fiedlers performed in a variety act during college, earning enough to cover a significant portion of their tuition.

Graduating in the midst of a “teacher surplus,” the Fiedlers realized that they would need to pivot in order to secure jobs. They began taking accounting courses at a community college and found that their Northwestern education had prepared them well to pursue this new direction. The sisters passed their CPA exams with ease and worked in accounting for more than 40 years in both Illinois and Florida, where they now reside.

Helping Others in Need

As they approached retirement, the Fiedlers began to consider how they could give back to the University that shaped their lives and careers. They finally decided to direct their support to undergraduates with financial need. “We feel strongly about scholarships because we would not have been able to attend Northwestern without financial support,” Joan says.

The Fiedlers chose to fund their scholarship with planned gifts, including charitable gift annuities—giving vehicles that allow an individual or couple to make a tax-deductible gift to Northwestern and receive lifetime income payments in return. When the donor(s) passes away, the University receives the remainder of the gift.

As accountants, the Fiedlers were particularly attracted to the tax and other financial benefits that charitable gift annuities provide. The sisters have established 30 additional annuities with the University. With each new gift annuity, they grow their income stream and the size of their future scholarship fund.

“We are gratified that we can support Northwestern while enjoying tax benefits and guaranteed income for our retirement,” Jean says. “For us, it is a win-win situation.”

“We want to see other deserving students have the chance to get an education at this wonderful school,” Joan adds. “We can’t think of a better purpose for our funds.”

Charitable Gift Annuity Rates Increased in July

To discover how the new rates can benefit you and Northwestern, contact Northwestern Gift Planning at 800-826-6709 or giftplanning@northwestern.edu.