Paul Robinson (center) with his children, Connie (BS ’17) and Bucky
Caltech parent Paul Robinson called Caltech’s Office of Gift Planning with a plan of his own: He wanted to establish a deferred annuity. “I had already set up this kind of investment plan with my own alma maters, so I know how they work,” he says. “And I know they work for me.”
He goes on to explain: “Right now, I don’t need additional income. What I was interested in was an immediate income tax deduction.”
Just as the giving vehicle was a clear choice, so, too, was choosing Caltech. Robinson remembers receiving a call from his daughter, Connie Robinson (BS ’17), soon after she left home for college. “It was so nice to hear her say, ‘I’ve found my tribe.’”
“Joining Dabney House in my freshman year was a formative experience in my life,” Connie shares. “I was welcomed in a way that just doesn’t happen elsewhere. I absolutely loved the intellectual environment in Dabney, where we critically analyzed any aspect of life—from economics to space travel to ducks.”
Connie Robinson (BS ’17) with her maternal grandmother, Ann T. Nicol (PhD ’79)
Connie’s decision to study chemistry at Caltech was not a forgone conclusion, but it came as no surprise to her family. She had always loved math and science, and it was fitting that she would follow in the footsteps of three grandparents who were chemists.
What’s more, her maternal grandmother, Ann T. Nicol (PhD ’79), is a Caltech alumna.
Paul Robinson is gratified to make a gift that will provide him with extra income later, when he might need it, and to support the institution that provided his daughter with an exceptional education. “I think my dad sees the impact Caltech had on my life,” Connie says.
“I learned and grew as a person to an immense degree because of the students I was with. I hope that my dad’s gift will ultimately facilitate the independence that lets Techers make each other great.”