The class of 2004 has achieved 82 percent participation in the Senior Gift fund, as 583 of 707 members have already contributed to the campaign. The current rate puts the seniors on pace to break the year-end record of 91 percent, set by the class of 2003.
Most seniors donate to the gift by purchasing a senior pass. At $115 apiece, the passes cover all senior expenses, including regular cocktail parties, senior week events and a $10 contribution to the Senior Gift fund. While this is the most common way to give, seniors electing not to purchase a pass can make a separate donation of $1 or more. Larger donations are also encouraged.
“The main goal of the Gift Committee is to get a high rate of participation,” said Senior Gift Committee Co-Chair Rebecca Gelenberg ’04. “We care less how much a senior gives, and more that every senior gives something.”
Gelenberg explained that alumni support is a crucial source of funding for the University. The Senior Gift Committee, which is comprised of thirteen members including the two chairs, hopes to get seniors in the habit of donating to the school.
“Alumni support is an integral part of getting our education paid for, and it is important for us, once we graduate, to repay the favor,” Gelenberg said.
As noted on the Senior Gift website (http://www.wesleyan.edu/alumni/waf/seniorgift.ctt), alumni giving also factors into nationwide college rankings such as those featured in U.S. News and World Report. Wesleyan ranked eleventh of the Top 50 Liberal Arts Colleges listed in the magazine this year. In comparison to the top ten schools, Wesleyan’s rate of alumni giving is relatively low; while number one Williams and number two Amherst have average rates of 60 and 64 percent respectively, Wesleyan’s figure for 2003 was 52 percent.
Gelenberg and her fellow committee members are currently deciding where to direct the funds generated by this year’s senior class. Last year’s committee chose to donate to the Wesleyan Annual Fund (WAF), using an “8-1-1” plan. Each senior pass donation was broken down so that eight of every ten dollars went to the 2003 WAF and one dollar was set aside for both the 2004 and 2005 drives. As thanks for the donation, the WAF committee dedicated a room in Fisk Hall to the class of 2003, which class members decided to establish in memory of Jamie Hulley ’03, who died unexpectedly in 2002.
By allocating their gift money in this manner, the 2003 committee made a general donation to the University. Every year, WAF money provides $8,000 of each student’s educational costs that are not covered by tuition.
Other graduating classes have further specified their funds. While two dollars from every current senior’s donation are again likely to go to Wesleyan as a whole, the final destination of each eight-dollar chunk is still under debate. According to Gelenberg, previous committees have donated to specific departments, planted trees and erected benches.
The senior class officers are also involved in the Senior Gift fundraising and decision-making process.
“We hope to work closely with the gift co-chairs for the rest of the year in order to finalize details, and join forces to maximize our effectiveness in raising funds, and even helping choose a great gift,” said Senior Class President Jenina Nuñez. “Together, I think we can match last year’s class, and maybe even break the record.”
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