Erica Seaborne ’09

“I’m 32, I don’t have a Will, but I do have a retirement account,” says newly appointed Bryn Mawr Fund chair Erica Seaborne ’09. “Just as I think about the legacy I want to leave for my friends, family, and the people around me, I want to leave a philanthropic legacy as well.”   

Establishing a Will or a Trust can feel daunting, especially for young professionals. For many people, their retirement account is their biggest asset. Erica notes that making gifts through your beneficiary designation is much simpler than establishing a Will. “You don’t need to rely on a lawyer to draft anything,” she said. “You only need to fill in a box.” Most of retirement accounts have the option to assign beneficiaries in their initial forms. Additionally, retirement accounts have options online or on their apps to assign Bryn Mawr as a primary or contingent charitable beneficiary at any time. 

A passionate supporter of Bryn Mawr College, Erica serves on the Alumnae Association Executive Board (AAEB) and is also a founder of the LGBTQ+ Alumnae Affinity Group. She loves attending alumnae events, including visiting campus nearly annually during Reunion Weekend to catch up with friends and meet new Mawrters. 

As a professional who has worked in fundraising and philanthropy for a decade, Erica “[sees] firsthand the benefit of supporting an organization now and giving future support.” She donates faithfully to The Bryn Mawr Fund and understands the importance of establishing a continuum of giving.

As it is for many Mawrters, the College is her home, where she has felt like she belonged. She trusts its leadership to make good decisions about the campus and help the current student body thrive. It is for this reason that when she donates unrestricted. Erica acknowledges that every institution needs input from its community for improvement. “When I think of Bryn Mawr College, I’m just incredibly proud,” Erica said. “What I see is an institution that is striving to be the best it can be. Knowing that it has challenges and being willing to engage with those challenges.” Erica hopes that in the future Bryn Mawr continues improving and evolving for its students. 

Considering including Bryn Mawr as a beneficiary in your retirement account? Learn more here or email giftplanning@brynmawr.edu.