Class of 2014 encouraged to give back to alma mater

Class of 2014 encouraged to give back to alma mater

Autumn Granza, Community Editor

“Students Today… Alumni Tomorrow… Forever Green.”

This is the slogan that the Office of Annual Giving Programs hopes the senior class come to know and live by. They’re using the slogan to encourage students to give back before taking that last walk across the stage at the upcoming graduation ceremony.

Assistant Director of Annual Giving Programs, Rose Jacklinski, said she hopes to educate the senior class on the subject of giving back to Marywood.

Each year, the senior class contributes a monetary donation that is put toward a class gift–something that the students will leave behind to be remembered by, but also to help better the campus in some small way.

“I did not know there was a senior gift,” said Noel Martines, senior psychology major. “As for donating, I’d probably do it.”

The 2014 class gift is an engraved granite paver that will say “Class of 2014.” The paver will eventually be placed on a path leading to the Learning Commons. The timing of the Bold Heart Campaign is the reason behind the granite paver. It allows the 2014 seniors to be a part of the learning experience of Marywood’s future students.

“When we say they are students today and alumni tomorrow, it is to get them started thinking a little bit early about this paver project that we have, which is an opportunity to become a part of the Learning Commons,” said Jacklinski.

A leadership team comprised of eight seniors are working to get more members of their class to make this contribution to the class gift. They’re asking seniors to make a gift in honor of their class year, $20.14.

“It’s all about supporting the students here at Marywood University,” said Jacklinksi. “It is all about the students… We want to make them feel a part of something.”

A Gold Giving Challenge is also in place, which kicked off in February. This involves reaching out to all gold alumni, who are graduates of the last decade ,and having them donate so that a granite paver can also represent classes as far back as 2004.

“We are calling it a challenge to make it competitive,” said Jacklinski.  “To see which class will raise the most money first.”

The challenge is to see which class will raise the most money first for the granite paver; when a gift is made it goes toward that classes’ granite paver. The ultimate goal is to get 100 new donors. The goal for a granite paver is $500 per class.

“Once they hit that $500 mark, that class gets a paver,” said Jacklinski

Another concept of the senior gift is that it is not what you give but that you give, according to Jacklinski.

“We understand that you’re students and we understand that you’re graduating and that you may have loans to pay and bills coming out of college, but we aren’t asking for a whole lot,” said Jacklinski.

The goal is to have all gifts completed by June 30. As of press time, the class of 2014 had not made and contributions, but gifts from other classes have been submitted for the granite pavers.