A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI PROGRAMS

Greetings fellow alumni,

For over a decade, graduating seniors have raised money for a Senior Class Gift, which is left to the University as a token of appreciation for their undergraduate experience, and to leave a legacy on campus. Landmarks such as the phone booth at the intersection of G and 22nd streets and the mosaic featured prominently in the Marvin Center lobby are the result of senior classes’ energy and financial support.

This year’s Senior Class Gift Campaign is well underway! In November, over 1,000 seniors voted to create the Class of 2005 September 11th Scholarship Fund. Days after the class of 2005 arrived at GW, the attacks of September 11th occurred, affecting each student profoundly. The gift recognizes and honors the courage of the men and women who served our country on September 11th, 2001, and who continue to serve, through the establishment of a scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a rising senior who has served as a first responder or in military service, or to a son or daughter of one of these individuals.

Senior Chrissy Trotta, one of the co-chairs of the campaign, spoke to me about the commitment to GW that she and other students feel: “As we prepare to graduate from GW, it’s important for us to realize our responsibility to provide the same opportunities that we had to future generations of GW students.”

The campaign, which is entirely student-run, set a goal of $25,000 by Commencement in May. They have already surpassed this figure, raising nearly $37,000! In tandem with their fundraising efforts, the Senior Class Gift Campaign has sponsored several senior events over the past few months. In December, the gift committee announced their plans at McFadden’s Bar and Saloon, and over 400 seniors attended. The gift committee also held a “countdown to graduation” event at Tequila Grill on March 9, which was a rousing success. On April 5, a final countdown event was held at Nick’s Riverside Grill. Congratulations to the seniors who have worked so hard to make this year’s campaign a success!

P.S. If you would like to support the Senior Class Gift Campaign, visit our website at www.gwu.edu/give2gw to make a gift online. Be sure to designate your gift to the senior class. Thank you for your support.