Alumni giving is on the rise, but it must grow faster, farther
With Janet Bingham, President, George Mason University Foundation
Alumni giving is on the rise at George Mason University. Between 2015 and 2016, the number of alumni donors increased by 8.65 percent and the dollars gifted increased by 72 percent. In the past few years, we’ve seen our first million-dollar gift from an alumnus and an increase in major gifts. Alumni have contributed to four back-to-back record years and our approaching our campaign goal ahead of time. This support has made a tremendous impact on our university and students, including through scholarship endowments.
Increasingly, your fellow Mason alumni are recognizing that an investment in Mason can make a difference in the lives of our students, in the strength of our community, and in the value associated with their own degree. Alumni philanthropy demonstrates your confidence in your alma mater. It brings prestige to the university — and to you.
Now that we have joined the ranks of Carnegie Classification Research 1 universities, a prestigious distinction that signals our accomplishments and capabilities, we have a new set of peers to benchmark against. And when it comes to alumni giving, we’ve got some catching up to do to.
Continue reading at https://president.gmu.edu/alumni-giving-is-on-the-rise-but-it-must-grow-faster-farther/
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8 年Alumni philanthropy demonstrates confidence in their alma mater. However, when alumni don't give, the course of action shouldn't be to belittle but to ask the most important question... Why? The response will likely have much to do with a lack of confidence in the institution. Thank you for posting this message. #AspiringCollegePresident
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8 年I think any institution can help increase alumni donations by helping the alumni understand how that money is used and why it is needed beyond the astronomical costs already associated with higher ed. I took out tens of thousands of dollars in student loans to pay for my education and it took me many years to pay those off. The cost of education is on the rise often times making the dream of paying for my children's higher education seem more like a comical fantasy. Admittedly, I am far from the higher education industry and there are probably many good reasons for this the need of donations in addition to the already high cost of tuition.