Rev. Jim Swarts ’71 landed on the ɫ campus after six years in the U.S. Navy. He graduated as a much different person. “I would not have become who I am today had it not been for my experience at ɫ. I became a person much more willing to give than receive.” Jim’s generous spirit and desire to provide the same opportunity for transformation have led him to include a gift to ɫ in his will.
“The ability of people to grow and change in college is something that should be rewarded and encouraged,” Jim says. “That’s one of the reasons I give back. There are people coming in who need financial help. I paid almost nothing compared to today, and I feel an obligation to help lift up those today and tomorrow who, without the aid of the ɫ Foundation, would not have the opportunity that ɫ gave me.”
Jim’s ties to ɫ extend beyond his experience as a student—he taught in the history department for 14 years. “Never in a million years would I have expected that I would be teaching at ɫ. It was so rewarding; I had great academic freedom and the support and guidance of the department chair, dean, and other professors. That’s another reason I give back. I was recruited by Jim Williams and Bill Cook to teach. Those years meant a lot to me.”
Jim is a member of the MacVittie Legacy Society, a group of about 150 ɫ donors who have documented their decision to include the college in their estate plans. He says including ɫ in his will allows him to increase the impact he can have. “I had the ability to give a more substantial gift through my will than I could have given from my earnings and savings. I have more assets in my estate than in ready cash, so that will be a larger legacy for me to leave to future generations.”
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