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Dr. Sarah Rajala commits to a legacy gift in her estate plans

Dr. Sarah Rajala (Rye-ah-lah), IEEE Life Fellow and 2015 IEEE Harriett B. Rigas Award recipient, has been an IEEE member for nearly 50 years – the entire length of her pioneering career as an engineering educator. Now, with a generous gift through her and her husband’s estate plans, she is ensuring her legacy with IEEE continues past her lifetime.

Sarah earned her bachelor’s in engineering from Michigan Technological University (MTU), near where she grew up in Northern Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She was the only woman in her engineering class – and the third female electrical engineer to graduate from MTU. It was here, as an undergraduate, that she first joined Eta Kappa Nu (HKN).

“But that was before HKN was part of IEEE!” shares Sarah. “I think my official full membership started when I was in graduate school around 1977 or 1978.”

Sarah earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. from Rice University in 1977 and 1979, respectively. From there, she became the first female tenure-track engineering faculty member at North Carolina State University, where she remained for nearly 30 years. She would move on to become chair of the electrical and computer engineering department and then dean of engineering at Mississippi State University. She would conclude her career with a tenure as the James L. and Katherine S. Melsa Dean of Engineering at Iowa State University from 2013 to 2019.

Her connection with the IEEE Foundation started in a conversation with John Treichler, IEEE Foundation President Emeritus, while he was president of the board. He knew Sarah would have experience in development and fundraising work as a former dean of engineering. Her skills would bring valuable experience to the IEEE Foundation Board.

“I knew of the Foundation – I had become a life fellow of IEEE and read the emails asking for donations but hadn’t thought much about it,” Sarah remembers. “But John was encouraging me to think about donating and volunteering for service on the board.”

Sarah ended up doing both, becoming a member of the IEEE Foundation Board in 2020 and serving until the present day. She and her husband, who likewise is a long-time IEEE member and volunteer, also became donors. As an educator, supporting student-oriented activities has been a priority, with annual donations from the couple benefiting IEEE-HKN and EPICS in IEEE. Sarah also has a commitment to broadening participation in engineering and supports Women in Engineering (WIE) programming.

“IEEE was our professional society home. But we really didn’t connect giving with our professional society until after I became a life member,” explains Sarah. “As a Life Member, my membership dues dropped to nearly zero, so my husband and I decided it was time to give, as IEEE has been an important part of our lives for many years.”

After many years of generous support, Sarah and her husband recently decided to make a legacy gift through their estate plans and become Forever Generous members of IEEE Foundation’s Goldsmith Legacy League. When asked why she and her husband decided to join the IEEE Goldsmith Legacy League, Sarah was kind enough to share their thought process to inspire others.

“In recent years, my husband and I have been working on our estate plan, deciding how to allocate our resources after we pass. While some will go to our children and grandchildren, we’ve agreed that a percentage should go to the organizations we value most, involving our family in these discussions. Sarah explains, Estate gifts are personal decisions. As engineers, we often focus on ensuring we have enough for ourselves and don’t want to be a burden. After years of saving, we’re now comfortable committing to a legacy gift.”

Visit our webpage to learn more about the IEEE Goldsmith Legacy League, which provides special recognition for individuals like Sarah and her husband, who include the IEEE Foundation in their estate plans.

This article is intended to provide general gift-planning information. Our organization is not qualified to provide specific legal, tax, or investment advice, and this publication should not be looked to or relied upon as a source for such advice. Consult with your own legal and financial advisors before making any gift.