Success Built on Hard Work and Faith: IRA Distribution Strategy

January 24, 2023

Tom Nikolai '51 credits his career success to the values of hard work, faith and commitment he learned during his years at Cretin-Derham Hall.

Tom is especially grateful for the quality of biology, math, physics and chemistry classes at Cretin, and credits them with his ability to complete the electrical engineering program at the University of Minnesota in 1956. Tom eventually enrolled in William Mitchell College of Law and earned his Juris Doctorate degree in 1962. Since then, he has worked as an attorney specializing in intellectual property law.

In addition to the well-rounded education, Tom feels blessed to have made lifelong friends at Cretin. Because of his strong ties to the school, Tom has been making annual donations to Cretin-Derham Hall for many years.

So when his financial advisor informed him he could direct a gift of up to $100,000 directly from his IRA, he jumped at the chance. "It seemed to be a win-win for both myself and Cretin-Derham Hall," Tom says.

The Thomas J. Nikolai Scholarship Fund provides assistance for Cretin-Derham Hall students, allowing Tom to watch as students benefit from his generosity. "My contribution is to fund a tuition assistance endowment that I hope will allow other young men and women to receive a quality education at Cretin-Derham Hall and put them on a career path of lifelong success," Tom says.

At Cretin-Derham Hall, almost all of the financial support is designated for tuition assistance for those students who qualify for financial aid.

Read this article about making a gift from your IRA. If you'd like to discuss the benefits of making a future gift to support Cretin-Derham Hall, please contact Rob Bollinger at (651) 696-3343 or rbollinger@c-dh.org.