Karl Bourdeau ’71 Includes Canterbury in His Estate Planning

Planned gifts are the cornerstone of Canterbury’s endowment, and alumni like Karl Bourdeau share this special commitment to the school’s future as members of our devoted planned giving community, the Carillon Society.

A longtime environmental attorney in Washington, D.C., Karl joined what is today known as Beveridge & Diamond PC—a firm that addresses virtually every type of contemporary environmental issue—right out of college and stayed there until his retirement two years ago.

“One of the most satisfying things about my career was that I was involved in the evolution of modern environmental legislation and regulation and then helped it spread internationally,” he said.

Karl credits some of the values he took from Canterbury with helping him navigate those waters. “The cross-fertilization of divergent viewpoints was encouraged because it provides for a more informed understanding as to how we should operate in this world and how to lead a successful life,” he shared. “The education I had at Canterbury was fundamental in making me an inquisitive person and showed me the importance of entertaining the viewpoints of others.”

His appreciation for that education is what led Karl to consider his alma mater in his estate planning. “Naming Canterbury as a beneficiary to my estate is an expression of my gratitude for the incredible teachers and learning experiences I had as a student as well as the lifelong relationships I have enjoyed as an alumnus,” he said. “I believe strongly in giving back to institutions that have demonstrably made a marked improvement in the quality of my life—as well as the lives of others—and Canterbury unquestionably has done so.”