Endowments…Leaving a Legacy

To the Sinton family, philanthropy means supporting those who don’t have the means to support themselves. The James J. Sinton Memorial Scholarship Fund does precisely that by helping Business Administration or Economics students obtain financial aid in their pursuit of a post-secondary education at Colorado College (CC).  The Fund was initially endowed to CC in 1971 on behalf of Tom Sinton, husband to Bee Sinton, our founder.  Both Tom and Bee graduated from CC and thus wanted to give back to their alma mater. Tom also wanted to way to honor and remember his father James Sinton.

With a beginning balance of $163,000, today the Fund has grown to over $1.4 million and has supported 85 students over the years, typically awarding two to four scholarships per year.  With the help of investment managers, the Fund will continue to support a student’s dream of becoming the first in their family to graduate with a college degree.

Endowments have become a way for individuals or families to pass on their wealth to a nonprofit organization of their choice.  They are structured such that the initial principal amount is left intact or untouched and the investment interest can be drawn upon to fulfill the desire of the donor. Most commonly, institutions that manage endowments include museums, libraries, theaters, hospitals, and universities.

Endowments, to many, are a way to leave behind a legacy all-encompassing of individual and family values, tradition, and a greater life meaning.  To Tom, it was a way to support education, a valued tradition in the family. Bee continues this legacy through her vision of Moniker Foundation and our own Scholarship Program.