The Professor's Daughter
Anne Kinsey Call is proud of her famous father. She is proud of him for his love and care of his family, for his hard work, for his dedication to science, as well as his ground-breaking research in sexual behavior. The world knows Professor Alfred C. Kinsey as the founder of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction. The Kinsey children always understood the importance of their father's work, even when surrounded by controversy.
Anne remembers her childhood in Bloomington fondly. Raising their family in a quiet Midwestern town in the 1930s, her parents taught their children to appreciate knowledge. It was a scholarly household, and Professor Kinsey was a teacher, even at home. The IU campus offered many opportunities. The children made good grades—but in the Kinsey family that was expected.
Growing up Kinsey
The family also was active in the community. Anne’s mother organized the first Girl Scout day camp in the area and ran it for decades, as a generation of Bloomington women will attest. As Anne puts it, "My mother and father did not emphasize community involvement; it was just a given. It was what you did."
Bloomington was home, but when it was time for college, the Kinsey children were encouraged to study elsewhere. "Part of growing up is learning to make your own decisions." Anne received her BFA from Washington University in St. Louis and worked in Chicago in the dress market for several years.
Back Home Again
Marriage and career took her far from home, but her roots remained in Bloomington. Anne and her family returned when her daughter began high school. She reflects, "I wanted my daughter to get to know my mother better, and we have always loved Bloomington and the campus." Anne remains involved with IU. She belongs to the University Women’s Club and is a lifetime member of the Friends of the Kinsey Institute. Most recently, she has indulged her passion for art by serving as a docent at the IU Art Museum. She wanted to make a significant gift in support of IU, yet she was concerned about retaining her principal.
A Great Solution
"I think it’s common for widows to be concerned about ensuring that their assets last as long as they do," she observes. "I wanted to do something for the University, but was unsure how to accomplish it." A gift planning officer from the IU Foundation suggested a charitable gift annuity as a means to achieve both ends. With her gift annuity, Anne receives lifelong income based on rates determined by her age and IU receives support for two campus institutions that she holds dear: the IU Art Museum and the Kinsey Institute’s Art, Artifacts, and Photography Collection. "I am able to make a gift now and know the University will benefit in the future. After I’m gone, the University will be taken care of, but until then I receive income. It’s a win-win."
Preserving Beauty at IU
In Anne’s case, the gift will fund the conservation of works IU already owns, as well as support future acquisitions. These were the areas that appealed to her. However, as she points out, "It doesn’t matter what your interests are. IU is so large and broad that there is almost an unlimited selection of programs a person can support. "Maybe my gift is only a drop in the bucket, but when you gather all the gifts together, they really amount to a great deal."
