Named after Bishop Middleton S. Barnwell, Boise State’s first president, the Barnwell Society recognizes individuals who have included the Boise State University Foundation in their deferred gift plans. Gifts such as bequests, beneficiary designations, charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities all qualify for membership, along with others.
To learn whether your gift qualifies for Barnwell Society membership, please contact the Boise State Foundation’s Office of Gift Planning.
About Bishop Barnwell
From 1925 to 1934, Barnwell served as the Episcopal Bishop of Idaho and ran St. Margaret’s School, an all-female secondary school in Boise. In 1932, he helped transform the school into Boise Junior College, creating new opportunities for Idaho students to pursue higher education close to home.
The college opened on September 6, 1932, with 75 co-ed students and became the foundation of what is now Boise State University. Barnwell served as president until 1934, when he left Idaho to serve as Bishop of Georgia.
The Barnwell Society logo is inspired by the entrance to St. Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Boise. The cathedral was Barnwell’s church and the site of St. Margaret’s School, where Boise State’s story began.