PAYING IT F O R W A R D
students Create a legaCY With senior gift drive ven before they graduate, many Cal U students are “paying it forward” by contributing to a scholarship fund through the Senior Gift Drive. In the spirit of Cal U for Life, seniors are encouraged to make a small donation that will benefit future students. In 2010, the inaugural Senior Gift Drive raised more than $8,000. The kickoff for the 2011 drive was held on Tuition Freedom Day, Feb. 15, when students thanked state legislators and Pennsylvania taxpayers for their support of state-owned universities. “It was certainly a challenge facing such uncharted territory last year, but accomplishing our goal of creating a scholarship was something that I believed was truly important,” says Erin Berstler ’10, chair of the first Senior Gift Drive Committee. “We were able to educate our fellow classmates about the importance of ‘paying it forward,’ as well as bonding as a class over a common goal — to contribute to another student getting the great Cal U experience that we had. I am proud and honored to have been a part of this.”
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Our legacy has yet to be determined, but I hope we can also show our love of Cal U and make this year’s drive an even greater success.
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BRITTANY BALAZ 2011 SENIOR GIFT DRIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR
Ryan Jerico ’09, coordinator of student and young alumni programs, notes that Cal U’s culture of student philanthropy dates back to 1927, when seniors united to support the Student Loan Fund. The current Senior Gift Drive is the culmination of activities designed to educate all students about University funding and encourage them to donate their time, talent and treasure. The process begins during the three-day Cal U for Life orientation, held at the start of each fall semester. At their first University convocation, new students are encouraged to contribute $1 toward scholarships. Those scholarships are awarded immediately, illustrating the big effect of many small contributions to a common cause. “The Senior Gift Drive is peer-to-peer — the students ask each other for a gift,” Jerico explains. “The students who have been exposed to the program are getting it, and they are clamoring to get involved. The students are really starting to own this.” The drive emphasizes participation rather than the amount of each gift, he adds. The Class of 2010 had a giving rate of 14.5 percent. This year’s graduating seniors aimed for participation by more than one in four students, and they set a goal of raising $12,000. “The class of 2010 has set the bar very high for us,” said 2011 committee chair Brittany Balaz as the gift drive began. “Their legacy is being the first class to give back not only time and talent, but also treasure. “Our legacy has yet to be determined, but I hope we can also show our love of Cal U and make this year’s drive an even greater success.” The seniors’ dedication has inspired others. At the May 2010 Commencement, keynote speaker Fred Gladney ’71 was so moved by the first senior gift that he added $3,000 to the total. To enhance participation this year, University President Angelo Armenti, Jr. agreed to donate $1 for every student who contributes. Jerico believes the spirit of the Senior Gift Drive, as well as the scholarship fund, will continue to grow. “This is the students’ first chance to give back in appreciation for the time they have had here, and it’s just going to continue,” he says. “Hopefully, what we are doing is adding a new scholarship every year, which creates an opportunity for one more student to come to Cal U.” n By Bruce Wald ’85, information writer at Cal U
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