A Northwestern FamilyAsk Dr. Robert Fragen to describe his family’s relationship with Northwestern University, and he may tell you “We’re bleeding purple.” His description of this lasting relationship with the University and the Feinberg School of Medicine is all too accurate. After 33 years of experience on faculty in the Department of Anesthesiology, Dr. Fragen, professor emeritus, and his wife, Joan, are also students in the School of Continuing Studies. For a number of years, Joan has been an active volunteer with the University’s College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS) program, helping students realize their dreams to study abroad. As for the rest of his self- described “Northwestern family,” one son received a graduate degree from the Kellogg School of Management; another completed his undergraduate and doctorate degrees at the University—one daughter even teaches in the dance program on the Evanston campus! Given their relationship with the University and the medical school, his recent gift serves as a fitting tribute for his family. In February 2007, Dr. Fragen and his wife created the Joan and Robert Fragen Fund in Anesthesiology. This fund will be used to provide crucial awards to junior faculty to conduct clinical research. Each award will be known as the Melissa Fragen Research Award, in memory of their granddaughter. Instructors and assistant professors will participate in a competitive research grant process, submitting applications for awards to support promising studies. These critical studies represent the last key step in moving discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient bedside.Beyond his lasting relationship with the school, there was another, unexpected motivator for his gift—a letter from the IRS. The letter told Dr. Fragen and his wife about the IRA (individual retirement account) provision of the Pension Protection Act of 2006. This provision, available only until the end of 2007, allows for charitable individuals, 70 ½ years of age or older, to make outright gifts of up to $100,000 from their IRA and exclude the amount of the gift from their gross income.This opportunity worked for the Fragens because it was, as Dr. Fragen described, “simple.” When asked about his gift, Dr. Fragen’s modest giving philosophy became clear. “I have had 33 years here, a good experience,” he shared. “This provides a chance to give back. Why not?” To Dr. Robert Fragen and his wife, “Being charitable, giving to others, is a part of life.” | 
