North Central College has had a long-standing tradition of giving the graduating class of seniors the opportunity to give back to their alma mater.
A class gift is an opportunity for current seniors, and even alumni, to donate money back to the college and choose where they wish their money to go. The class gift, defined by North Central, is “a long-held tradition of showing its (the students) appreciation to North Central College by raising money to support capital campaign projects, scholarships or the North Central College Fund.”
According to the North Central College website the North Central College Fund supports everything from the daily running of the school to scholarships and student activities.
This year the goal for the class gift is to have about 70 percent participation of the 2015 senior class, says to North Central College.
There are two ways that seniors can give back, by either filling out a paper form received from the class gift committee or the alumni office or can fill out a form online.
On this form the student can select what they wish to donate their money toward. Some areas given include the North Central College Fund, the new science center, Friends of the Arts, athletics and several others. There is also a category called other where a student can put down a specific club, organization, or other area on campus they wish to help.
Some of the areas in the past that the class gift has donated towards include Kiekhofer Hall (1954), Oesterle Library improvements (1991 and 1992), Boilerhouse renovation (2003), Res/Rec (2008 and 2009), and the North Central College Fund (2014).
There are even incentives for seniors who donate to the class gift, such as $15 will get a senior a class gift shirt that says “Leave a Legacy Class of 2015,” in school colors and $30 will get a senior an individual iPoster with a picture of them and Chippy the Cardinal on it.
Even after graduation, alumni can donate back to their class gift and continue to help the college grow. A class gift gives everyone, graduating or already graduated, a chance to give back to the their school.
