As it does every spring, the senior class is preparing to leave Wesleyan. Amidst the job applications and the threat of oncoming loan payments, the University makes one final request of the seniors, asking them to give at least 10 dollars to the senior gift.
Seniors donate their gift through the Wesleyan Annual Fund for Excellence (WAFE). A message on the WAFE website reads, “Strong support from Wesleyan’s senior class will show the rest of the world what a great school it is. Participation rates, not gift amount, factor into college rating guides such as the one published in ‘US News and World Report.’”
Last year, 94 percent of students gave, and as of Valentine’s Day, 87 percent of seniors had contributed to the Senior Gift.
In addition to helping the school boost its “US News and World Report” rankings, participating in the senior gift may also help the University obtain large sums of money from other organizations.
“Large foundations, alumni donors and other charitable organizations measure the strength of alumni support by the percentage of alumni who gave,” reads the WAFE website. “Wesleyan will receive larger support from these groups only if it is strongly supported by young alumni.”
According to the WAFE website, participating in the senior gift not only signifies the support of the majority of the class, but also helps the University maintain its high level of services for students.
WAFE will be repeating the 8-1-1 plan that it initiated last year. Eight of the 10 dollars given to the senior class gift will go toward this year’s donation, and one dollar will be allotted to the next two years’ donations. This allows the University to count donations made this year toward the Class of 2006’s giving rate next year, and the year after.
Regan Schulan ’01, assistant director of the WAFE, said that student gifts in excess of ten dollars are still eligible for the 8-1-1 plan.
“If a student gives twenty dollars, one dollar would still go towards the next two years, and 18 dollars would count for this year,” Schulan said.
While the senior gift has many practical applications that possibly help the University reach its goals, WSA President Jesse Watson ’06 said it is also an impetus to bring students of the senior class together.
“The senior gift is usually viewed as an expression of gratitude and appreciation to Wesleyan, and it is traditionally a matter of pride for each class to try to exceed the class before it,” Watson said.
“Our position […] fell two spots this year and that drop was due to very minor changes in class size and fundraising,” Watson said. “Everyone admits that ratings are grossly inaccurate and misrepresentative, but it is also true that in order to continue to attract good students and faculty, and to get those students jobs, we have to be attentive to our competitive standing.”
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