As graduation creeps ever closer for the Class of 2003, many seniors reflecting upon their years here have chosen to give a bit back through the Senior Gifts.
The graduating class traditionally leaves a gift as a remembrance of their undergraduate years and a contribution to future generations of students. Each of the five undergraduate schools of Washington University separately presents a donation decided by a Senior Gift Committee and advised by the Alumni House.
“The senior gift reflects on the experience of the class during their time at WU,” said Chancellor Mark Wrighton. “It is a symbol of appreciation and affection for the University and an acknowledgement of the role the university and its faculty and staff play in shaping the lives and careers of the students in the class.”
Wrighton said that although the monetary gifts are appreciated, they are not the only things that the university expects from graduates.
“Our expectation is that the class will provide a tangible sign of the positive aspects of their experience at the University,” he said. “Your greatest gifts will be the contributions you make to society enabled by the education and relationships developed from the WU experience.”
The Art, Architecture and Business School students donate to their schools’ annual funds. The Art School’s Annual Fund provides scholarships and imp-roves facilities, while helping retain faculty and developing new programs. Art students may direct their donation within the Annual Fund to a particular major. Architecture’s Annual Fund also sponsors scholarships and brings world-renowned architects and guest lecturers to campus. All donations to the Business School’s Class Gift benefit the Olin Annual Fund which finances various business school projects including scholarships and facility improvements.
Engineering and Arts & Sciences seniors contribute their donations through the Class Gift directly to scholarships for future students. This year, the Engineering School Gift Committee hopes to raise $35,000 to benefit an engineering student in financial need. Arts & Sciences is funding a scholarship to benefit a student in the Class of 2007. Determined by need and merit, the class hopes to annually donate $2,500 to the student’s financial package. According to committee chair Emily Bennett, class involvement, not donation amount, is the primary objective.
“Our goal this year is to get 210 Arts & Sciences seniors involved,” she said. “I really want to stress that participation is the most important aspect to us. We value participation much more than we value the specific amount of money.”
Students have been positive about the scholarship initiatives of each school, and they believe helping future students gain an education is a worthwhile use of their donations.
“I think it’s the best use of our money,” said senior Lucy Biederman. “When they give a bench, what good does that do for the campus? It’s a huge thing to let someone come here who wouldn’t have otherwise been able to. It’s wonderful.”
The schools provide different incentives to increase participation. Art students receive a beverage glass designed by visual communications senior Ellen Sitkin. Business School students who pledge a sum of at least $75 over three years receive an appreciative gift from the Class Gift Committee. Besides a t-shirt, Swiss Army knife, and massager for Arts & Sciences donors, the Alumni House will not contact them for contributions until their five-year reunion.
In addition to mailings advertising the senior gift, committees have e-mailed, tabled, planned happy hours, and sponsored evenings at clubs and bowling alleys to publicize their efforts. Despite these initiatives, however, most students remain uninformed.
“I actually had no idea there was such a thing,” said senior Katie Schnidman.
Senior Class President Jason Green partially attributes unfamiliarity with the Class Gift to the expectation that the Class Council plans and coordinates the project.
“They look to us and realize that it isn’t something we do, and then it’s even more of a surprise that it’s divided into each separate school,” he said. “People expect there to be one senior class gift when in reality that isn’t the case, although some organizations have pushed in recent years to change that.”
Meanwhile, each gift committee continues to advertise and encourages donations. Students may contribute through pledge cards they receive in the mail with their school’s gift description or may pledge to their individual school through the Senior Class Gift Program web site, http://seniorclassgift.wustl.edu.
“I think it’s important to reflect your appreciation for all you’ve received here, education, experiences, whatnot, and the recognition that in past years, someone gave so that people would benefit today,” said Green. “Giving a Senior Gift now just starts the mentality of giving back to the University and bettering it.”