Alumni Give Back by Paying It Forward
Alumni giving was up last fiscal year, spurred in large part by the growth of the Pay It Forward campaign. The campaign asks new graduates to contribute to the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships for students with financial need and helps ensure they stay enrolled and earn their degrees.
When graduates make a gift of $25 or more to the Pay It Forward campaign, they receive a purple honor cord to identify themselves as a contributing member of the Excelsior College Alumni Association. Nearly half of the 418 graduates attending Commencement 2017 made a gift on Commencement day.
“Paying it forward to current students is similar to helping a family member with their college expense. I have noticed over the years that there is a strong desire with our alumni to see others succeed.” –Dwayn Hanford
Dwayn Hanford, the president of the Alumni Leadership Council, says the Excelsior family atmosphere makes this campaign so successful. “Excelsior graduates are proud of our Excelsior family and overwhelmingly thankful for the opportunities they have received after earning their degree,” he says. “Paying it forward to current students is similar to helping a family member with their college expense. I have noticed over the years that there is a strong desire with our alumni to see others succeed.”
The participation of graduates at Commencement boosted the number of alumni donors to more than 950 for the 12 months ending July 2017. Alumni giving for that period totaled more than $116,000 to support student scholarships and resources.
Overall, Excelsior awarded 1,021 scholarships to students with financial need during the 2016–2017 academic year.
