Post by LoveTrains on Oct 31, 2014 14:43:19 GMT -5
Yes I always give. Participation matters! If you want to give, it doesn't have to be a big gift. Give $5 or whatever you can afford (if you want to). I wouldn't let a car payment or something stop in the way of giving if you want to give. Surely you can go without one cocktail one evening or find another way to cut $5 from your budget.
If you don't want to give, then don't. But for me personally, I do. It is one of my philanthropic priorities.
Post by crashgizmo on Oct 31, 2014 14:44:23 GMT -5
Nope. Those fools took enough of my money while I was there.
**I know that schools need more than tuition payments, and my statement above was TIC. I work in the non profit world and give to a lot of charities, but I choose not to give to my alma mater.
I'm curious - for those who place a priority on this - did you go to a public or private college? What is the college/university doing with your money that you feel this is a priority? I feel like I'm missing something.
For the record - we *do* give to charities, just not our schools.
I typically make a small donation ($5-25) to my undergraduate college. Usually I do it when there is a match from the trustees so it is a larger amount.
I will never donate to my grad school because, although it has helped because it is prestigious, I did not feel it was a particularly wonderful experience.
Yes I always give. Participation matters! If you want to give, it doesn't have to be a big gift. Give $5 or whatever you can afford (if you want to). I wouldn't let a car payment or something stop in the way of giving if you want to give. Surely you can go without one cocktail one evening or find another way to cut $5 from your budget.
If you don't want to give, then don't. But for me personally, I do. It is one of my philanthropic priorities.
Right now I'm on a strict budget of necessities. No extra fluff or cocktails. Every penny is accounted for.
I'd prefer to wait until my car is paid off before adding more expenses to my list.
It is definitely something I would like to do it the near future.
I'm curious - for those who place a priority on this - did you go to a public or private college? What is the college/university doing with your money that you feel this is a priority? I feel like I'm missing something.
For the record - we *do* give to charities, just not our schools.
I went to a private college. The vast majority of donations go to financial aid, so I feel that I am helping students afford the cost of attending. We commit to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need of admitted students and practice something like 90% need blind admissions.
Sometimes I have earmarked my money for other things too, such as student scholarships to study abroad or take part in a political internship program.
Education is something I believe in. If I can help another person receive it at a great school, that's awesome.
I'm curious - for those who place a priority on this - did you go to a public or private college? What is the college/university doing with your money that you feel this is a priority? I feel like I'm missing something.
For the record - we *do* give to charities, just not our schools.
From the phone call last night I'd give to the communication department and my funds would go to the building of a new interactive classroom of sorts.
My university is top ranking and I'm proud of my school. Even if it is considered a "lowly state school" by elitist snobs.
Post by jerseyjaybird on Oct 31, 2014 14:56:20 GMT -5
I do! Every year, at least once a year.
I give to my private undergraduate college, which is an incredible little place. I'm happy to help other students have the same amazing experience I did.
My graduate institution is a Big Ten public university, and I've never given to it. I don't feel a real connection to it, I guess.
Yes I always give. Participation matters! If you want to give, it doesn't have to be a big gift. Give $5 or whatever you can afford (if you want to). I wouldn't let a car payment or something stop in the way of giving if you want to give. Surely you can go without one cocktail one evening or find another way to cut $5 from your budget.
If you don't want to give, then don't. But for me personally, I do. It is one of my philanthropic priorities.
Right now I'm on a strict budget of necessities. No extra fluff or cocktails. Every penny is accounted for.
I'd prefer to wait until my car is paid off before adding more expenses to my list.
It is definitely something I would like to do it the near future.
Well if they are asking for a gift for their annual fund, they are asking for one gift now for this year. Then they will call next year (and every year) asking for a gift. If you don't have any money now, then don't give. It's not a big deal. But I hear from people all the time that they want to wait until they can make a "bigger gift" and what I am saying is that the school would probably rather have $5/year for 10 years then a one time $50 gift.
But its immaterial if you don't even have $5 now. I am just more talking in general and just want everyone to know that gifts of all sizes truly do make a difference.
Post by bostonmichelle on Oct 31, 2014 15:05:04 GMT -5
I have given small amounts in the past. The first time they called me I was actually enrolled in a graduate program through them as well. Up until about a year and a half ago, I still went to the main drama performances of the year and chose to support them that way. I will probably give more next year, we can specify departments/activities for our donations. I will probably send it towards the drama and vocal programs as we always were scrapping for money and the little funding we received was consistently chopped during the annual budget process.
That school holds a special place in my heart and I wouldn't have been able to attend without my scholarship. I look at it as passing it forward to others who might need the scholarship funds.
Right now I'm on a strict budget of necessities. No extra fluff or cocktails. Every penny is accounted for.
I'd prefer to wait until my car is paid off before adding more expenses to my list.
It is definitely something I would like to do it the near future.
Well if they are asking for a gift for their annual fund, they are asking for one gift now for this year. Then they will call next year (and every year) asking for a gift. If you don't have any money now, then don't give. It's not a big deal. But I hear from people all the time that they want to wait until they can make a "bigger gift" and what I am saying is that the school would probably rather have $5/year for 10 years then a one time $50 gift.
But its immaterial if you don't even have $5 now. I am just more talking in general and just want everyone to know that gifts of all sizes truly do make a difference.
Oh I definitely agree and know that $5 can make a difference.
It's just not something I can do this year unfortunately.
In all likelihood my contribution will be $50-100/year..... Just not this year.
No. We might consider giving in the future, but it's really far down on our priority list.
And if we were to donate, it would be first to H's grad school, then to my law school. We would probably not give to our undergrad unless you count purchasing football tickets as a contribution.
Post by spunkarella on Oct 31, 2014 15:10:27 GMT -5
I don't give. I really loved my department and have considered a small gift ($25/year?) before but I'm afraid if I give that, I will be hounded for more and more. If you give a mouse a cookie and all that.
LoveTrains do you have any insight? Do you think giving once will make the already large amount of requests even more persistent?
Post by tacosforlife on Oct 31, 2014 15:10:57 GMT -5
I will someday, but as of now, I'm still a little bitter that when I was job searching, the career services office's only advice was, "Have you considered moving to Chicago?" Ok then.
Post by pinkdutchtulips on Oct 31, 2014 15:17:49 GMT -5
undergrad yes and either I target my small contribution to the school I graduated from OR i'll have them earmark it for the grad student run on-campus bar !
law school - not on your life and NOT in this lifetime !
I don't give. I really loved my department and have considered a small gift ($25/year?) before but I'm afraid if I give that, I will be hounded for more and more. If you give a mouse a cookie and all that.
LoveTrains do you have any insight? Do you think giving once will make the already large amount of requests even more persistent?
Just ask to be taken off their call/mailing/email lists and -- walla! -- no more harassment.
That's what I do. I still get the newsletters and such, but don't get solicitations.
Post by dragonfly08 on Oct 31, 2014 15:22:46 GMT -5
Nope. Four alma maters between the two of us (and that doesn't include the university I started at as an undergrad...I loved it there but transferred due to a change of major after two years), and none of them except maybe my last caused any lingering feelings of loyalty that would lead me to donate.
Does anyone else's school send out a mass list of the donors for each year? I love flipping through that thing to see who in my class donated (and to see the people who are still alive from the classes in the 40s that still donated too!)
Yes, every year. Undergrad was very generous to me with scholarships, etc and I want to repay a little bit. It's also a great school and I want to see it succeed. Grad school was less generous (what I get for going to the business school) but still a great experience.
Does anyone else's school send out a mass list of the donors for each year? I love flipping through that thing to see who in my class donated (and to see the people who are still alive from the classes in the 40s that still donated too!)
Not that I've seen. And I have like 2 friends from college. I didn't have a typical 4 year experience. Most of my friends from that time period are from work.
Does anyone else's school send out a mass list of the donors for each year? I love flipping through that thing to see who in my class donated (and to see the people who are still alive from the classes in the 40s that still donated too!)
Yup.
My law school class is something of an embarrassment as far as I can tell from that.
I would like to know much more about the kid from two classes below me who donated somewhere between $250k and $1 million last year.
Other charities I donate to publish names of donors over a certain threshold in their annual reports too.