The Regis Family's New Blueprint for Philanthropy

For Dan and Cecilia Regis, support for higher education has never been abstract. It has been practiced consistently and without announcement within their own family over many years. Together, they have made it possible for 16 family members (and counting) to complete college degrees without incurring student debt and have another seven students currently enrolled in colleges around the country—an effort grounded not only in financial support, but in a shared belief that access to education should open opportunity rather than limit it.

That philosophy now finds enduring expression at Gonzaga University through a first-of-its-kind planned gift commitment that highlights both the Regis family's commitment to education and the charitable potential of privately held business interests.

As part of their estate plans, Dan and Cecilia have directed a portion of their ownership interest in a limited partnership to be distributed to Gonzaga University. The multi-million-dollar planned commitment will ultimately establish the Jud Regis Endowed Accounting Excellence Fund, a permanent source of scholarship support within the School of Business Administration, with recipients designated as Regis Scholars.

While charitable gifts are often funded with cash, appreciated securities or real estate, gifts involving ownership interests in closely held entities such as limited partnerships remain relatively uncommon. The Regis family's commitment demonstrates how business ownership interests can be thoughtfully integrated into charitable and estate planning, creating meaningful impact for both family and community.

The gift builds on the Jud Regis Chair of Accounting, established in 2021, reflecting a deliberate extension of the family's investment and a continued belief in Gonzaga leadership at both the Presidential and School of Business Administration levels. Equally important, the commitment serves as a compelling example of how nontraditional assets can be used to advance charitable goals. The model is the first of its kind at Gonzaga and illustrates the powerful role that ownership interests in family enterprises can play in creating lasting philanthropic impact.

"This gift recognizes that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not," said Andrew Brajcich, J.D., Jud Regis Chair of Accounting. "By reducing financial barriers throughout the students' experience, it allows them to focus more fully on their academic work, their leadership development, and their preparation for lives of service."

In keeping with the family's longstanding tradition, a portion of the fund will be used each year to recognize graduating Regis Scholars in their final semester. These significant awards will reflect academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to service and will be made independent of existing financial aid. In doing so, the fund not only expands access but affirms the work required to reach completion—an approach that has shaped the Regis family's commitment to education across generations.

"This work at Gonzaga is meaningful because it brings people together in ways no one can do alone," said Dan. "For our family, this gift is about being part of something larger—something that creates real impact through relationships."

One example is Dan's relationship with friend and peer Paul Brajcich. A Gonzaga Trustee Emeritus and accounting alumnus, Paul shared his experience with Gonzaga and helped pave the way for Dan and Cecilia to engage with the University in a deeper, more meaningful way.

For President Katia Passerini, Ph.D., the significance of the gift extends beyond the financial.

Both Dan and Cecilia are first-generation college graduates, and their philanthropy reflects a sustained understanding of the role access plays in shaping individual trajectories and, ultimately, communities.
The long-term aspiration of the fund is to create the conditions in which students can pursue a Gonzaga education and enter the profession that follows without the constraints of significant financial burdens. In doing so, the Regis family's gift aligns with Gonzaga's Jesuit commitment to forming graduates prepared not only for professional success, but for meaningful contributions to the common good.

At the same time, their commitment offers a broader lesson in charitable planning. Many families hold substantial wealth in closely held businesses, family partnerships and other nontraditional assets. The Regis family's vision demonstrates that these ownership interests can become powerful tools for philanthropy, transforming privately held assets into opportunities that benefit future generations.
It is a model the family has seen take shape within their own experience. Through this commitment, it is now extended to generations of Gonzaga students to come.

The Regis family's investment invites others to consider how they, too, might leverage business interests, family partnerships, and other complex assets to expand access, recognize achievement and shape the future of Gonzaga students.