Donating to College Alma Mater

[Senusret I]

Prior to this year, I gave back to Georgetown by donating to my Alpha Phi Omega chapter and to the university step team by making a donation at the annual step show.

This year, I am deciding instead to give a small monthly recurring donation to the scholarship imperative in the name of my friend and fellow Hoya who died of complications from sickle cell disease.

I decided to give back directly to the school for several reasons:

Because I believe students and their parents should be responsible for their own student life/club/organization experiences.

Because honoring my friend was important to me.

Because African American donors need to be counted.

Ironically, because I was the beneficiary of several named scholarships, I was less likely to give to scholarships at my school. I always felt like I would never be able to make as large a contribution as my benefactors did, so my meager dollars could go elsewhere. I don't believe that anymore.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Ironically, because I was the beneficiary of several named scholarships, I was less likely to give to scholarships at my school. I always felt like I would never be able to make as large a contribution as my benefactors did, so my meager dollars could go elsewhere. I don't believe that anymore.

I think this is pretty common. People are kind of intimidated by the large amount of money that it takes to run a school/endow a scholarship and don't think their considerably smaller donations are good enough. Also, if you didn't go to a private high school, the concept of giving money to your school is a foreign concept.

Any little bit helps.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Also, if you didn't go to a private high school, the concept of giving money to your school is a foreign concept.

I didn't go to a private high school, and it wasn't a foreign concept to me at all. In my family, the foreign concept was the concept of not being an engaged and contributing alumnus/a.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Also, if you didn't go to a private high school, the concept of giving money to your school is a foreign concept.

That isn't true.

And I think grown adults are clear as to the difference between donating to a high school alma mater and a college alma mater. A lot of people who donate to their college alma mater(s) never donated to their high school, private or public.

[Munchkin03]

Should I change it to "can be a foreign concept?"

While "grown adults" may be familiar with the difference, 18-22 year olds, many of whom might come from modest backgrounds where ANY sort of philanthropy/donations were rare, may not be. Many development efforts these days are geared towards the "rising generation;" it's the idea that if you get a young person to donate when they're young and have less money, they'll continue to donate.

Also, donations aren't the ONLY way to be an engaged alumnus; I'm not sure where I said that since I mentioned my history of donating AND volunteering. When I didn't give much money at all, I still volunteered like no one's business. Now that I have less time to give but more $$$, it's easier for me to write a check.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Should I change it to "can be a foreign concept?"

That works, I think.

Also, donations aren't the ONLY way to be an engaged alumnus; I'm not sure where I said that since I mentioned my history of donating AND volunteering.

Didn't mean to suggest you did. I was just speaking from my experience.