Class reunions hit donations out of the park

Reunion is a special time for remembering and also giving back to your alma mater. For the class of 1961, it was a banner year. Barry Solem '61 challenged his class during their 50 year reunion to honor the beloved SPU faculty of their time by donating to various faculty endowments. the class secured commitments from 70 of their 228 classmates. By the close of the fiscal year (June 30, 2011), they raised $46,585 for current Seattle Pacific University students.

Now that SPU's 2012 Homecoming and Family Weekend is just around the corner, classes celebrating reunion years will be asked to join their classmates and make a similar gift in honor of their time at Seattle Pacific. Gifts to SPU from alumni help equip today's students to make a difference by bridging the financial aid gap and increasing giving participation rates. At Homecoming, 2012 the classes of '67, '72, '77, '82, '87, '92, '97, '02, and '07. will be celebrating their reunions. The class of 1962 will be gathering for their 50th reunion in June of 2012.

Why is alumni participation so important to Seattle Pacific? It can be difficult to measure emotional loyalty and affection alumni hold for their alma mater. Philanthropic giving becomes a yardstick for external sources to calculate our alumni's support.

Here are just few reasons why alumni giving is important:

• Broad alumni participation is vital to the success and sustainability of the institution.
• Corporations and foundations consider alumni participation when making funding decisions.
• Alumni participation is a key factor in college and university rankings, including U.S. News and World Report. A higher ranking means increased enrollment and diploma value.