Hennemans’ Estate-Plan Gift to Support Counseling Center and Help Students Become Their Best Selves

In spring 2020 Gustavus celebrated a major gift from two members of the Class of 1983 aimed at providing essential support for student health at the College. The $2.65 million gift from Mark Henneman and Terri DeGiusti Henneman of St. Paul provided immediate help to the Gustavus Counseling Center and established a base of support for the future.

“We like to give to organizations that build bridges, organizations that tear down barriers standing in the way of people becoming their best selves,” explained Mark Henneman, the chairman and CEO of Mairs & Power. “With this opportunity to support the Counseling Center, we can be involved in something that helps take away barriers such as depression and anxiety—which can get in the way of students’ success.”

The Hennemans structured their gift in two parts, in consultation with gift planner Bill Kuehn. Together, they devised a way to support the Counseling Center right now and for years ahead. The immediate help was essential for the Counseling Center. “Even before the pandemic, colleges and universities nationwide were recognizing that there was a mental health crisis presenting in the college-age population,” said Dr. Hannah Godbout, director of the Gustavus Counseling Center. “Students were showing up at counseling centers in unprecedented numbers.”

This immediate gift came from the Hennemans’ charitable foundation. Like many Gustavus donors, Mark and Terri set aside money each year for a family foundation or a donor-advised fund. Their donation qualifies as a charitable contribution, and then it gains value thanks to investments by fund managers. The fund owners then direct payments directly to the charities of their choice, whenever and in whatever amount they see fit.

The second part of the gift was a bequest in their estate. Upon their deaths, a stipulated amount will establish an endowment fund at the College to provide perpetual support for the Counseling Center.

The Hennemans’ two-part gift to the Counseling Center follows the direction of their other philanthropic activities. They have supported organizations that help people overcome personal obstacles, such as the Union Gospel Mission in the Twin Cities for which Mark has served as board president. It also comes from a sense of gratitude for the education they received. “Gustavus has such a special place in our hearts,” said Terri Henneman. “We’re so happy to give back to a place that means so much to us.”