A Lasting Legacy
Zelma Braga has spent a lifetime helping others create lasting legacies — and in doing so, she built one of her own.
Born and raised in Fall River, Zelma entered the trust and estate field at Fall River National Bank in 1964. In 1986, she was recruited by Citizens-Union Savings Bank—now BayCoast Bank—where she continued her career in trusts and estates, at a time when few women held senior roles in the field, by establishing the Trust Department. She retired from Citizens-Union in 2000 as senior Vice President and Senior Trust Officer. During her decades-long career, she helped countless individuals plan their estates, and in the process, educated them about the importance of leaving a legacy by supporting the causes they cared about most.
Zelma's dear friend Helen Marie Booth, who was a beloved professor of Speech and Communications at Bristol, encouraged Zelma to become involved at the college. In 1989, Zelma was appointed to the Bristol Community College Foundation Board of Directors, where she served until 2001, including a stint as president from 1997 to 1999. In 2002, she was appointed by Acting Governor Jane Swift to the College’s Board of Trustees. She served two five-year terms – re-appointed in 2007 by Governor Deval Patrick.
Zelma embraced her roles at Bristol with characteristic commitment and clarity of purpose. As a member of these boards, she felt a responsibility to raise funds to support students and their future success. She worked tirelessly to do just that, supporting clients to make Bristol a part of their legacy.
Zelma was instrumental in dedicating the Margaret L. Jackson Arts Center and Theatre in 1996. The bequest that established the center was one of the first major gifts to the Foundation. The Margaret L. Jackson Arts Center stands as a cornerstone of campus life and a community center to this day.
Zelma takes great pride and satisfaction in knowing that the students she helped to support, most of whom she will never meet or know, are out in the community, making a difference. She recognizes that Bristol has a tremendous impact in Southeastern Massachusetts, providing opportunities for people who may not otherwise have them.
That deep belief in the Bristol's mission has never wavered. In 2019, Bristol awarded Zelma an honorary associate degree in humane letters, recognizing her decades of dedication to providing access to life-changing educational opportunities. It is one of her most cherished honors. Zelma’s legacy can be seen in the community, through Bristol students and alumni who were given a chance to learn, grow, and succeed because of the generosity of donors she helped inspire.
In 2023, the Bristol Community College Foundation named its Planned Giving Society in her honor. The Zelma Braga Legacy Society recognizes and celebrates all those who make a planned gift of any kind to Bristol, ensuring that the values she lives by will continue to guide and inspire generations to come.