I give a fairly perfunctory amount every year ($50-75/yr). I had a very positive experience and mostly want to help how they are rated on alumni participation.
me too. I got $10k/yr in scholarships from the school and I had a great experience (I still ended up with A LOT of debt, but thanks to my degree I am able to pay it off pretty quickly). usually I earmark it specifically to my major department, because they were (and still are) fucking awesome, were largely responsible for said positive experience (as well as for the fact that I make good money today), and I know they will spend the money well.
it's also a D-III school so there isn't exorbitant spending on athletics that bothers me or anything. they did build a super fancy new student center with fitness facilities, etc., which is kind of annoying (when I went there everything was pretty old, the fitness facilities available were SUPER small and crappy, which I'm SO OKAY WITH!!! I wish they had just left it!) but not enough to make me stop giving a little, yet. probably a bigger issue that gives me some pause is that they're a Catholic institution, I am definitely NOT Catholic (although I am somewhat religious), and in my years there they had a few high-profile decisions that I DID NOT agree with. in the long run, though, I think it brought about a lot of good discussion. there's a lot of good interfaith discourse in general there, which is something I value highly, and it seems like the administration continues to be pretty introspective about "what it means to be a Catholic university." they actually just hired their first lay president... AND she's a woman! pretty cool.
I can see why people wouldn't want to, though, esp. in the "there are more worthy causes to give to" sense.
oh and I don't give to the school I where got my MS (huge D-I school with well-known football program), they get plenty of alumni support :)
Would you be more likely to give if there was something tangible you received in return such as scholarship named after your/your family and the opportunity to meet and mentor the students, or perhaps a named classroom/building/ bench/ fountain etc..?
If your alma mater worked at having a meaningful relationship with you post graduation that wasn't solely based on your donations would this have an impact on your desire to give? I,e- invitations to exclusive alumni events, occasional free tickets to games and musical performances, invitations to come back and speak with classrooms about your experience in your field, taking you out to lunch/ coffee to hear your input on current university initiatives and your experience while at the school.
Would love to hear any perspective on this as well.
To me, these suggestions are poor returns on investment and blatantly reduce the amount of money directed at the intended source. Some of the suggestions are also drawing on the egotistical personality types - I'm not a big fan of people who need to be the centre-of-attention to validate themselves. Accepting there are plenty of people who would be drawn in by these tactics, I don't know how many MMM readers would.
Some of the other things you mention - speaking to classrooms on field experience are much better suggestions. They are an offer of your free time and experience - which I believe are much better direction of resources.
agreed!!! I hate when anywhere tries to give me something for donating.
I would love to do the "come back and talk about your experience in your field" thing, I remember alumni doing this in my department and it was very helpful. plus I would love to catch up with my old professors, because they are pretty awesome. sadly I live 10 hours away and when I'm back in the area the scheduling doesn't work out... maybe one day!
ShortinSeattle (and others), taking out loans doesn't mean you weren't supported by alumni donations. The tuition price of the school does not reflect the full price of educating a student. For instance, if the tuition is $18,000 per year (just pulling a number out of a hat), the real cost of educating that student may well be $25,000 per year — or $36,000. Those extra thousands are covered by grants and donations.
And public funds. Unless you went to some ridiculous private school.
oooh, burn ;P