Starr King School for the Ministry

SKSM scholarships provide critical financial support to our progressive religious leaders in formation. Stay tuned to hear more about how you can help a student receive the concrete opportunities they need to live into their calling!

Join us in celebrating the impact scholarships make at Starr King School for the Ministry. Throughout the month we will be highlighting stories of our scholarship recipients, sharing special announcements, and providing educational insights about annual, memorial, and endowed scholarships.

Rev. Kevin Mann (Class of 2016) and current student trustee Leisl Dees each gave testimonials about why they chose Starr King and what the school has meant for their current and future ministries. Archivist Lehel Molnár also demonstrated the rare book digitization process for those present.

Last Wednesday, Starr King graduates, students, supporters, faculty, and staff gathered at our Oakland, CA headquarters for fellowship and sharing with our president, Dr. Stephanie Krusemark.

ICYMI: Last week was National Estate Planning Awareness Week. We spent the week celebrating Legacy Giving at Starr King on our social media! If you missed the fun, visit www.sksm.edu/legacy to learn more.

Estate Planning Establishing your legacy & developing a vision of the future by making a decision today to create a better tomorrow through giving to Starr King.

To learn more about why estate planning is essential and how it can facilitate your legacy, visit www.sksm.edu/giving/gift-.... #SKSMLegacy

Estate planning is simply caring for yourself and your assets while you are living, and providing for the transfer of assets to other persons and entities – both during your life and afterwards.

You’d also be correct if you said it involves making certain other types of arrangements affecting what happens once your life has ended.

A good estate plan goes further and addresses many aspects of your current situation, as well as how to thrive in the years to come.

It’s National Estate Planning Awareness Week. Be sure you have an estate plan in place.

What comes to mind when you hear the term “estate planning”?

If you’re like many people, you know it has something to do with having a will.

Legacy Giving Leave a lasting impact through legacy giving at Starr King. Plan your legacy and support transformative spiritual education for future generations.

You can also stipulate that the funds be held in our endowment and the proceeds from that investment be used for your chosen purpose. This means your legacy will last in perpetuity. www.sksm.edu/legacy #SKSMLegacy

You can choose to make SKSM the sole beneficiary, the beneficiary of a specific percentage, or the contingent beneficiary after a spouse or other loved one. The funds realized from this legacy gift can be given as unrestricted or restricted for a specific purpose (scholarships, faculty support).

Not only is it an easy way to give, but it’s also flexible — you aren’t locked into the choices you make today. You can review and adjust beneficiary designations anytime you want. You can make Starr King a sole or partial beneficiary of a retirement account or an insurance policy.

Beneficiary designations are a quick and easy way to make a BIG difference! Just name Starr King School for the Ministry as a beneficiary to receive assets such as retirement plans and life insurance policies after you’re gone. You simply fill out a form that is entirely separate from your will.

IRA Rollover Use your IRA to make a charitable rollover gift to Starr King. Support theological education while gaining tax benefits through planned giving.

If you are at least 73 years old and have not yet taken your required minimum distribution for the year, your IRA charitable rollover gift can satisfy all or part of that requirement.

Visit www.sksm.edu/rollover to explore your options. #SKSMLegacy

Why should you consider an IRA rollover gift if you are 70 ½ or older?

Your gift will be utilized right away, allowing you to see the difference your donation is making.

You pay no income taxes on the gift. So you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.

If you are 70½ or older, you have a unique opportunity this year to help Starr King School for the Ministry further our mission. You can move up to $108,000 from your IRA to a qualified charitable organization such as SKSM. But do not wait– your gift must be made by 12/31 to count for this tax year!

To include SKSM in your will or living trust, download our PDF of sample bequest language and customize it to your wishes. You can then provide this language to your attorney for inclusion in your will or living trust. Learn more at sksm.edu/legacy. #SKSMLegacy

If you are interested in helping Starr King educate the next generation of Unitarian Universalist and multi-religious leaders, the simplest and most versatile way to ensure we can continue our work for years to come is a gift in your will or living trust, known as a charitable bequest.

Did you know that legacy gifts to support various funds count in our Sowing Seeds Campaign goal of $9 million? We have already surpassed $8.3 million. If you’ve made a legacy gift but the school doesn’t have it on record yet, let us know to help us reach our goal. www.sksm.edu/legacy #SKSMLegacy

Rev. Zeb has been serving on the board for two years as the ex-officio representative of the Graduate Association and has agreed to stay on as a trustee!

Please join us in welcoming Rev. Zebulon Green to our Board of Trustees!

In celebration of National Estate Planning Awareness Week, we’d love for you to explore ways to leave your legacy for a progressive religious future by visiting www.sksm.edu/legacy to learn more. #SKSMLegacy

ICYMI: Vanessa Fox is an activist, community organizer, and 2025 graduate of our Master of Arts in Social Change program. Read more about Vanessa's story at www.sksm.edu/masc-spotlight-vanessa-fox. #MASC20

Starr King School for the Ministry will be closed next week – October 20-24 – for our fall Reading Week. Please note: Faculty and staff will be unavailable during this time.

Apply by November 1 using the code SPRING26 and have your application fee waived! There has never been a better time to answer the call. Apply for free today at www.sksm.edu/apply.

📢 Coming up this Sunday – the LGBTQ-RAN Gala! Join us as we honor faith leaders and activists from our past and present who have been making holy “good trouble” to advance justice, love, and equity on behalf of all LGBTQ+ people. Learn more and register at www.lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/gala-2025.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Sebastienne Grant to our Board of Trustees!

Today is International Pronouns Day! What are your pronouns? Share them in the comments! #InternationalPronounsDay #PronounsDay

Join VP of Enrollment Matty Waterman for this general Open House for prospective students. Attendees will learn about our programs, educational design, financial aid, and have a chance for Q&A. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Learn more and register at www.sksm.edu/openhouse.

Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land Native Land is a resource to learn more about Indigenous territories, languages, lands, and ways of life. We welcome you to our site.

Today is Indigenous People’s Day – a day we celebrate the people who called this land home long before us. Starr King is located on the stolen land of the Ohlone people. Do you know whose land you occupy? Take time today to learn using the tool below. native-land.ca