Elizabeth '99 & Magaly Barajas-Roman

Elizabeth and Magaly Barajas-Roman

Magaly Barajas-Román (left) and Elizabeth Barajas-Román '99

Some day it will be too late to make a planned gift. But it's never too soon.

Elizabeth Barajas-Román '99 and her wife, Magaly Barajas-Román, have much to thank Oberlin for. "Without Oberlin, I wouldn't be the person I am today," Elizabeth says. "Professor Jan Cooper recommended that I attend a political fundraiser in Cleveland. That life-changing event started my career in policy advocacy. I eventually worked in D.C. for almost five years, working closely with the Obama administration on immigrant women's health."

But there's an even closer, more personal connection for the Barajas-Románs. "We met on our first day at Oberlin, within the first few hours," Elizabeth recalls. "We celebrated 22 years together last year."

Annual giving has always been part of the couple's philanthropy, "but after the college's announcement to appoint Carmen Twillie Ambar as president, Magaly and I were inspired to do more."

That's why they named Oberlin as a beneficiary of their retirement plan.

"The funds transfer to the college untaxed, which allows Oberlin to maximize the gift's impact on scholarships for low-income Latino students. In a modest way, we hope that the gift will help pay forward the generosity that allowed us to achieve our potential."

If you'd like to join Elizabeth and Magaly, consider naming Oberlin as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, life insurance policy, or as a successor beneficiary of your donor advised fund.

If you have already named Oberlin as a beneficiary, and have not yet told us, please share the good news so that we can welcome you into the Charles Martin Hall Society.

To learn more about beneficiary designations or other planned gifts, contact our Office of Leadership and Planned Giving at (440) 775-8599 or gift.planning@oberlin.edu.