Class Act 2016 Senior Giving Campaign In Full Swing

Each year, Whitman seniors can contribute to the Class Act campaign to signify the value they place on their experience at Whitman and Syracuse University and to set the stage for continued engagement and support of their alma mater.

The collective impact of the suggested $20.16 senior gift is significant. Tuition and fees cover only 85 percent of the real cost of an SU degree. Class Act gifts help bridge the gap. Senior giving supports cutting-edge programs, modern facilities, scholarships (75 percent of SU students receive some sort of financial assistance) and other advantages necessary for a first-class education.

Last year, 44 percent of Whitman’s seniors donated to their class gift. That was a record-breaking year for Whitman, and our seniors topped those from all other schools and colleges on campus. Our goal for Class Act 2016 is 51 percent participation, and we have a committee of 20 accomplished and determined seniors leading the charge.

Thanks to Whitman alumnus Daniel A. D’Aniello ’68, chairman and co-founder of The Carlyle Group, who matched the total giving by Whitman seniors last year—as well as other alumni, staff and faculty who matched individual senior gifts—Whitman’s 2015 Class Act giving tallied $10,000. Much of that money has been utilized to support technology upgrades and student participation in experiential learning trips and programming.

Mr. D’Aniello has generously offered to match this year’s Class Act donations by Whitman seniors. We hope other alumni will join in this spirit of giving and match the gift of a senior, so that we can surpass last year’s giving, retain our top spot on campus and enhance the educational experience for today’s Whitman students and those who will walk the halls in the future.

Those Whitman seniors who make their Class Act 2016 gift by April 8 will be invited to a party at Club 4.4 in the Carrier Dome on April 14, and all participating seniors will receive a giving cord to wear at commencement.

Gifts, including matching tributes, can be made online, and donors can direct their gift to one of several designations, including a Whitman academic department, the Whitman Dean’s Fund or one of 22 other areas on campus.

Whether you will wear a mortarboard in May or received your Whitman diploma a decade ago, please consider making a Class Act donation today. Your support will help progress Whitman’s mission to prepare future business leaders to do great things in the global marketplace.