Maxie Duran Hardin '73
SU major: English Literature
Career path: Real Estate Law
Gives to support: Student Scholarships and President's Discretionary Fund
Maxie Duran Hardin '73, assumed she would attend SMU, given her parents' strong Methodist ties and the fact that both parents and an elder brother went there. But one summer when she was in high school, Maxie's parents brought her with them to the Pastors' School that they attended regularly on Southwestern's campus, and her college path was set. Maxie says, "None of my friends from Houston had even heard of Southwestern, but I did not care. I thought of my parents' wonderful stories of how Methodist liberal arts colleges had changed their lives, and I was ready to let SU change mine."
Maxie thinks of her planned gift to Southwestern as 'paying it forward.' Reflecting on her own experience with faculty who pushed her to excel, but also just sat down with her in the SUB to talk about her life and future plans, she says, "I like to visit campus, look at the current students, and think 'They get to have what I had.' It's the best gift I can give."
When asked what she might tell someone thinking about an estate gift to Southwestern, Maxie's answer is a resounding "Do it; then visit the campus. Watch professors stop to talk to their students. Walk into The Commons and watch students laugh and talk. Listen to how they treat each other with interest and respect…See what graduates do for the common good."
Interested in learning more about how to include Southwestern University in your will, trust or retirement plan? Contact the Development Office at 512-863-1211 to learn about gift options and opportunities.
If you have already named Southwestern University as a beneficiary, please let us know of your plans. This will enable us not only to show our appreciation of your generosity, but also to include your support in planning for the future of Southwestern.
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.