Planned Giving
Repaying Your Community: John Curtis Schreur '87 and Carol Schreur
Curt and Carol Schreur. "I want to encourage others to be prepared," Curt says.
For John Curtis Schreur '87, better known to his friends at Kalamazoo College as "Curt," creating an estate plan is about being prepared.
After his father's death, Curt was grateful that his father had made such detailed estate plans. His father's trust gave his family a clear understanding of his intentions, avoiding the hassle of probate and saving them from court challenges.
"Even though I'm only in my mid-40s, I really appreciate the importance of being well-prepared by creating a detailed trust and living will spelling out my intentions," Curt says. "I want to encourage others to be prepared."
Through the support of academic scholarships, Curt came to K to prepare for medical school because of his interest in science and math. His experiences in laboratory research, as well as the Senior Individualized Project that stemmed from his internship at the Upjohn Company, convinced him to add a B.A. in economics to his B.A. in chemistry. His internship led to a position as sales representative with Upjohn in Colorado, where he met his wife, Carol. He earned his master's degree in business administration at the University of Colorado and later was promoted to a management position in Phoenix. Currently he is a customer team leader for Merck, leading sales professionals in several states.
Curt names his interactions with the College's "enlightened faculty," experiences while on study abroad, and career development though internships as key ways that K connected him with people from diverse backgrounds and prepared him for his career of leadership in the pharmaceutical industry.
When Curt and Carol began to think about their estate plan, they saw including Kalamazoo College in their trust as a way to "repay what others have done." They devoted part of their estate to family and part to the College because K was "a big part of my life," says Curt.
"We thought about the legacy we want to leave to the community," he explains. "Community is more than immediate family. We thought about the organizations that have made a positive impact in our lives, and without question the College is one of the most significant of these organizations."
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. Kalamazoo College does not currently issue charitable gift annuities in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, or Washington. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.