Class of 2009 reinstates lost university giving campaign
Syracuse University’s Class Council of 2009 is reviving a tradition that’s been on hiatus for 14 years – with the Senior Class Giving Campaign.
The initiative, launched last week, collects donations for a scholarship for future students in the name of the class of 2009. This is the first formal effort of any class to give back to the university since the class of 1995.
‘I think it’s important to give back, because the things you learn at college really shape you as a person,’ said Samina Noorani, president of the Class Council of 2009. ‘I want to be able to give another student the chance to come here and have their own experiences that will shape them into the person they want to be.’
In her junior year, Noorani and other members of Class Council 2009 decided they wanted to give back to the university in the form of a class gift. After brainstorming and looking into some of Chancellor Nancy Cantor’s initiatives, the group chose to raise money to put toward a scholarship, though they’re not sure of the exact specifics of the scholarship yet, Noorani said.
In addition to bringing back the class gift, the Class Council of 2009 was also the first class council formed since the 1950s.
The goal is for each member of the Class of 2009 to donate $20.09 to the scholarship, Noorani said. The council set up a Web site allowing donations to be made online so that it is easy for all students to be a part of the campaign.
‘Our main focus right now is gaining participants,’ said Jessica Ljungvall, the liaison between the Annual Giving Department and the Class Council of 2009. ‘We want a good portion of the senior class to donate.’
The group will have a table in the Schine Student Center Thursday to give people information about the project. They will also be holding a launch party March 22 to generate interest and donations, Noorani said.
The council is hoping to restart the idea of student philanthropy at SU, an idea that has been lost in recent years, said Tammy Schlafer, executive director of Annual Giving. The Department of Annual Giving is helping the students facilitate the campaign.
‘If students become involved in a way that allows them to actively give back to and better the school, their college experience will hold more significant meaning in their lives,’ Ljungvall said.
The Class Council of 2009 has three to four active members, but they hope their dedication will help the project gain momentum, said Darya Rotblat, the advisor to the group.
‘It takes a lot of work, because they are trying to build a history and get the word out all at the same time,’ Rotblat said.
Noorani said the goal of Class Council is to unify each class, create memorable experiences, and help the SU community and the city of Syracuse. Each class that has entered the school since the Class of 2009 has formed an active class council. Just as they restarted the tradition of Class Council, the 2009 graduates also hope to revive the tradition of giving a class gift.
‘This lays the groundwork for the future,’ Schlafer said. ‘If they can demonstrate success, it will hopefully encourage other classes to come on board.’
Published on March 2, 2009 at 12:00 pm
