Bardsley estate benefits veterinary students

Charles and Viola Bardsley were devoted supporters of the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) at Mississippi State University. Their philanthropic journey began in 1996 with an annual scholarship awarded to the fourth-year senior in the professional program with the highest cumulative grade point average. Even after their passing, their commitment to aiding talented students persisted through an estate gift, which will perpetually fund scholarships for the most promising students.

Charles Bardsley, who obtained master’s and doctoral degrees from MSU in 1950 and 1959, had a distinguished career in developing pesticides and related work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Viola Georgetta Bardsley, originally from Litchfield, Illinois, earned a bachelor’s in chemistry from the University of Illinois and a master’s from the University of Missouri. She taught chemistry at the college level and held senior positions with Mallinckrodt Chemical Co.

Giving back to MSU became their shared passion. In addition to their annual gifts, the Bardsleys set up several gift annuities. Following Charles Bardsley's passing in 2003, Viola Bardsley continued funding the annuities. Overall, the couple established 24 gift annuities that benefited themselves and Mississippi State University.

When Viola Bardsley passed away in 2015, the remainder of her annuities and a bequest through her will established the Charles E. and Viola G. Bardsley Endowed Scholarship in Veterinary Medicine. This estate nearly doubled the college's overall endowment, and the earnings from the endowment will uphold the scholarships the Bardsleys cherished.

“Because of the way the Bardsley’s bequest was structured, CVM has more than $7 million in a new endowment,” said Jimmy Kight, the college’s director of development. “The earnings from the endowment will result in significant yearly support for our students.”

Charitable gift annuities do not require large gifts to establish and provide the donor with a lifetime income. In exchange for an irrevocable gift of cash, stocks, bonds, or in some cases, other assets such as real estate or timberland, the donor receives fixed payments for life and, in some cases, a charitable income tax deduction for the year of the gift. Once the annuity ends, MSU uses the remaining assets according to the donor’s wishes.

Another popular method of supporting Mississippi State University is through a bequest. The MSU Foundation encourages alumni and friends to inform its Office of Gift Planning when considering including Mississippi State in their estate plans.

For more information on including Mississippi State University in estate plans or other deferred gifts, such as annuities, please contact Wes Gordon, the director of gift planning for the MSU Foundation, at 662.325.3707 or [email protected].