Alumnae
Donor Gifts
Ebonie A. Sanders Honors Spelman Through Planned Giving
The Legacy We Leave
For Ebonie A. Sanders, C'2006, a planned gift is more than a future contribution. It's a way to ensure that generations of Spelman women she may never meet have the same life-changing opportunity she did. When Sanders received an email from Spelman College during National Make-A-Will Month last year, it prompted her to think beyond the present. The message wasn't simply about estate planning. It was about legacy.
Upon reading that message, the decision to include Spelman in her estate plans felt like a natural extension of the gratitude she has carried since graduating 20 years ago - when she arrived on campus as an only child and left with sisters for life.
"Spelman was my first choice," said Sanders. "There was never a backup plan. Spelman challenged my perspective, gave me courage, and taught me to embrace the beauty in my imperfections. [Being at Spelman] gave me confidence in myself and helped shape the woman I am today."
Like many alumnae, time has brought both celebration and heartbreak. The loss of fellow Spelman sisters reminded Sanders that legacy is not guaranteed unless we intentionally create it. That reflection led her to establish a planned gift, ensuring that future generations of students can experience the same transformative education without financial barriers standing in their way; a lasting investment in the mission of the College and the vision of Spelman Forward.
"I didn't want to miss the opportunity to leave something behind for an institution that gave me so much," Sanders reflected. “Legacy means thinking about students who haven't even been born yet and ensuring that Spelman remains strong and continues to be a beacon among colleges across the nation. I want to be part of that legacy.
Legacy Building
Today, Sanders serves at a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to expanding access to justice; work that reflects the values of service and community cultivated during her years at Spelman. And when asked what she would say to a fellow alumna who has never considered making a planned gift, she offers this encouragement.
"Start somewhere. It doesn't have to be a grand contribution. If you're not able to make the gift you hope to during your lifetime, you can still create an incredible impact through your legacy."
As Sanders reflects on the legacy she hopes to leave, she thinks about the generations who came before her and those who will come after. She is the first college graduate on one side of her family, comes from a lineage of graduates on the other, and proudly became her family's first Spelman graduate. Today, her younger cousin is continuing that legacy as a current Spelman student.
Her hope for students reading her story years from now is simple.
"I want students to know that they are enough, and do not have to come from this grand lineage to be at Spelman or succeed at Spelman,” said Sanders. “Make Spelman your own and welcome every opportunity—whether in the classroom or outside on the yard. There will always be someone here who believes in you and is willing to help you succeed, so pour into Spelman because she will definitely pour into you."