Our 10th Reunion Campaign
Wednesday March 01, 2006 Category: Events/Reunion Permanent Link
Contributor: Rob Cunjak ‘96
We hope you’re looking forward to our reunion as much as we are. It will be a great chance to connect with classmates, to see how much Cornell’s campus has changed and to sleep in a U-Hall again!
Our reunion is also a great opportunity for us to support Cornell by making a gift to the Cornell Fund, our Class Scholarship or other areas that are important to us. The table below shows the goals for our 10-Year Reunion Campaign and our progress thus far.
| Goal | Progress (as of 2/28/06) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dollars Raised | $130,000 | $87,188 |
| Donors | 625 | 301 |
| Giving Society members ($250+) | 100 | 85 |
| Tower Club members ($2,500+) | 12 | 8 |
As you can see, we’ve made a lot of headway and we thank everyone who has contributed to the campaigns success! Please click here to see a list of participants (74K PDF). With a lot of time before our reunion, we are confident that WE CAN BEAT ALL OF THESE GOALS! If you haven’t made a gift, please join your 301 classmates by contributing to the campaign. You can do so by making a pledge or payment via the online giving link.
You may be saying to yourself: “I’d like to contribute to the campaign but I’m not sure my gift really matters or where I’d like it to go.” Individual reasons for giving vary but every gift makes a difference because it helps today’s students, supports a program that is important to you, boosts the Class of ‘96’s impact on Cornell, and yes, benefits our U.S. News & World Report rankings. You can personalize your gift by designating it to an area of your choice including the Cornell Fund, a college, academic program, team, university-owned fraternity or sorority, the Plantations or the Class of ‘96 Scholarship.
In fact, the Class of ‘96 Scholarship is a fantastic way for us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of undergraduates. This year, our class scholarship was awarded to Victor Mikov ‘06, a senior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Victor is from West Palm Beach, Florida. He is active with the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Bulgarian Club, the Society for European Affairs, the Cornell Investment Club, and the Society for Human Resources Management. He plans to attend law school after graduation.
Victor was awarded almost $3,000 from the ‘96 Scholarship. We are excited to announce that the amount awarded has grown from $1,750 in 1997. At the same time, there has been a 4.3% increase in enrollment and a 179% increase in the cost to attend since 1997. Gifts to our Scholarship will increase its impact and enable us to increase the amount awarded to students each year.
Who can I contact to learn more? What can I contribute to? What is Ivy Society? Tower Club? Does my company offer a matching gift program? What is the Duffield Hall Challenge? Are there other campaign challenges? Answers to some of these questions are below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can I contact to learn more?
If you have questions about the campaign, you may contact:
Liz Kirk, Cornell Annual Fund staff member, ek61@cornell.edu
Rob Cunjak, Major Gifts Committee Co-Chair, rcunjak@sankatyadvisors.com
Marilyn Mawn, Major Gifts Committee Co-Chair, MMawn@bear.com
Erin Sullivan Caimano, Participation Committee Co-Chair, ees1@cornell.edu
Karen Fadden-Fabbri, Participation Committee Co-Chair, karen_fabbri@yahoo.com
Where can I direct my contribution?
There are numerous options. You can direct your gift to support an area of Cornell that is special to you such as the Cornell Fund, the Class of ’96 Scholarship, an academic program, a sports team, the marching band, a university-owned fraternity or sorority, the Plantations and many, many others. For details about a particular area of interest (e.g. academic departments, athletic and cultural programs), please contact Liz Kirk (ek61@cornell.edu).What is the Cornell Annual Fund?
Ezra Cornell’s vision established a scope of learning and opportunity at Cornell that is unmatched by any other university. In ethics, life sciences, history, languages, the humanities, and technology, Cornell remains at the forefront of society’s greatest questions and challenges for the future.
An elite but not elitist education is Cornell’s philosophy. From its inception, Cornell has welcomed qualified students of all backgrounds with a desire to learn and contribute to society. This incredible diversity of students, subjects of study, faculty, and experience requires an investment to keep these dreams alive. Your gifts to the Cornell Annual Fund are a vital part of what creates the innovation and excellence that are the hallmarks of Cornell.
Gifts to the Cornell Annual Fund give university leaders the flexibility to direct support where it is needed most. Cornell Annual Fund gifts support financial assistance for students, faculty recruitment and hiring, program development, and the infrastructure of the university. Examples of the ways Cornell Annual Fund gifts make a difference can be found here: http://www.alumni.cornell.edu/cornell_fund/give_why.htm.
Last year more than 31,000 alumni chose to support the Cornell Annual Fund, and every gift made a difference. You can make an impact on Cornell through your annual support and your involvement with the university.
What is Ivy Society?
Young alumni (ten years or fewer from graduation) who make gifts to Cornell of $250 qualify for Ivy Society.
What is Tower Club?
Young alumni (ten years or fewer from graduation) who make gifts to Cornell of $2,500 a year or more become members of the Tower Club. Through the generous support of Tower Club members, the university maintains its strength to provide student aid, recruit and retain exceptional faculty, and improve its world-class libraries and laboratories.
Tower Club members have an opportunity to meet distinguished faculty members, students, deans, and trustees at events in their region. They are recognized at a special reception during Reunion Weekend. As a Tower Club member, you will also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are playing a key role in preserving the unique opportunities that distinguish a Cornell education from those of other top universities.
Please note that starting July 1, 2006, the Tower Club giving level will increase to $5,000 for the Class of ’96 but you can lock in a rate of $2,500 for each of the next two years. See below to learn more about the multi-year Tower Club pledge.
Does my company offer a matching gift program?
Some companies may match your gift as much as 3:1. To find out if you work for a matching gift company, please contact your HR department. Gifts from your company count towards reunion fundraising goals. You can check to see if a Company has a matching gift program here.
What is the Duffield Hall Challenge?
Gifts to Duffield Hall will be matched 1:1 through June 30, 2006. For example, if you make a $500 gift to Duffield Hall, you will receive credit for $1,000. Follow the link to learn more about Duffield Hall and the Duffield Hall Challenge.
Are there other campaign programs or challenges?
Yes, there is the Multi-Year Tower Club pledge. The Tower Club giving level will increase from $2,500 to $5,000 after our 10-Year Reunion. However, you can lock in the $2,500 rate by making a 3-year pledge of $7,500. Your gift would be payable over three years but the entire amount pledged would be counted in this year’s fundraising totals. Please contact Liz Kirk at ek61@cornell.edu or 607-254-6140 to discuss multiple year pledges.
