How does this endowment work?
Once we raise $100,000, Mount Holyoke College (“College”) will invest that pool of money with the College’s total investment portfolio with an earmark for the endowed fund in Mary’s name. The original gift of $100,000 (the “principal”) is invested to grow over time, and each summer the College will use a small, calculated percentage of the returns to fund summer fellowships providing stipends to students working in the areas that Mary championed and who would otherwise not have access to those opportunities.
This will be an endowed fund that will exist in perpetuity. The College already has endowments that have been in existence for over one hundred years!
This particular endowment effort is unique. Typically, endowments are funded by one or two individuals. Ours will be a collective effort! The College has made a special exception to its usual practice to allow this collective effort in honor of Mary’s legacy. We are hoping as many of Mary’s family, friends, and colleagues join us as we work to secure $100,000. This is the minimum amount required to establish an endowed fund, but there is no maximum. Additional contributions will increase the fund’s impact.
How will this fund be used? (Speaks to the internship vs academic)
This endowed fund will support summer fellowships providing stipends to students working in the areas that Mary championed and who would otherwise not have access to those opportunities.
How will the student(s) who will benefit from the fund be chosen?
We will work with the College to set the selection criteria. Our aim is to select criteria in the areas that Mary championed such as the arts, education, and sustainability. The College will manage the application and selection process each year.
Why are pledges being collected, rather than donating directly now?
Standard fundraising practices encourage securing 80% in pledges before officially launching a campaign to collect the full amount. In this case, we have the added challenge of the College allowing only one year to collect the entire amount. Therefore, we are working to secure $80,000 in pledges before we formally launch the campaign. Once the campaign launches, we’ll need to ensure those pledges convert into contributions made directly to the College and that we secure another $20,000 in contributions.
When will the campaign formally launch?
We would like to get $80,000 in pledges before we formally launch and so we’re working hard to get there as soon as possible. You can always turn to marycantu.org to see where we’re at with our pledges. Ideally, we’d like to launch this fall. If you have ideas on how to secure pledges, want to help secure pledges, or want to help in other ways, please reach out to contact@marycantu.org.
Is there a fund number?
Not at this time. The campaign has not officially launched yet. We will be sure to let you know when the campaign launches and will provide instructions on how to make your contribution to the College. You can always turn to marycantu.org for the latest on our efforts. If you have a specific question, feel free to reach out to us at contact@marycantu.org.
How does pledging work?
We are actively working towards collecting $80,000 in pledges. Once we reach that milestone, we will provide instructions to you on how to turn your pledge into a contribution to the College. The campaign will be open for one year. That means you’ll have one year to make payment to the College. You can divide your contribution into 12 payments over the one-year period if that’s easier and will allow you to contribute a larger amount over that one-year period.
What is the rationale for the $100,000?
Currently this is the minimum required by the College to establish an endowed fund that will last in perpetuity. This base amount may increase in the future. Therefore, we want to meet this base amount as soon as possible.
Why do we only have 1 year to raise the $100,000?
This timeframe has been set by the College, which is why we want to collect $80,000 in pledges before we officially launch the campaign.
Will my contribution be tax deductible?
Yes. Mount Holyoke is a 501(c)3 institution and provides proof of contribution for tax purposes for all gifts made to the College.
What happens if you do not meet the $100,000 requirement within the one-year deadline?
If we do not reach the minimum threshold of $100,000 by the deadline, all funds contributed to this effort will be used to establish an expendable account rather than an endowed fund. The College will use the same criteria we provide to award annual stipends until the account is fully spent. Unlike an endowed fund, however, the expendable account will not exist in perpetuity.
Who is making this happen?
The Friends of Mary Cantu (FMCs) are leading the efforts to establish the endowed fund at Mount Holyoke College. We’re a group of Mary’s friends from college and her wide Texas network. We’ve been meeting virtually across time zones on a weekly basis since November 2025 to seek ways to honor Mary. We’re 100% committed to establishing this fund and ensuring Mary’s legacy lives on.
Why Mount Holyoke College?
Establishing and managing an endowed fund, which lives in perpetuity, is long-term and hard work. Since none of us will live forever, we really wanted to make sure Mary’s legacy continues long after we are gone. We made the decision to work with an institution close to Mary’s heart. Mount Holyoke College, where she earned a self-designed Bachelor of Arts degree in Museum Education with a focus on cultural anthropology and elementary education, has the infrastructure to create and maintain an endowed fund.
The idea of financially supporting a student at Mary’s alma mater who is working in the areas that Mary championed felt like a meaningful way to support the next generation of leaders in the areas that she dedicated her life and work.
Finally, naming an endowment after a Latina woman at the oldest historical women’s college in the United States just felt like an awesome thing to do and a challenge in which Mary surely would have relished. It’s the least we can do to honor and thank Mary for all the wonderful things she gave to our world in her short time with us.