Giving to Alumni?

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Does anyone here ever donate to their university alumni association? I have considered this but feel like I have donated enough by getting an education. Can anyone convince me why I should or shouldn't?
 
I have, to specific departments/programs. If I give it to the general alumni association I have no clue where it goes.

I agree with your assessment that going to college is "donation" enough. With all the fees, riders, costs, etc., some of which you may not benefit from.

I will say that if I had a gazillion dollars to donate, I would donate it to the school of nursing where I got my nursing degree. They did alright by me, especially when my reserve unit was being activated for Iraq.
 
Does anyone here ever donate to their university alumni association? I have considered this but feel like I have donated enough by getting an education. Can anyone convince me why I should or shouldn't?
What SpitfireV said.
 
I have, to specific departments/programs. If I give it to the general alumni association I have no clue where it goes.

I agree with your assessment that going to college is "donation" enough. With all the fees, riders, costs, etc., some of which you may not benefit from.


My alma mater has a student veterans association, but I can't see where it offers anything other than some camaraderie with other vets. I didn't really participate but I would possibly donate here if it was worthwhile.
 
My alma mater has a student veterans association, but I can't see where it offers anything other than some camaraderie with other vets. I didn't really participate but I would possibly donate here if it was worthwhile.

My first degree was in poli sci. I have given to the department; it has its own library and lounge which is donation-funded. I have given to the school of nursing, because, well, they have been awesome.

I am in grad school now, a distance program, and I still get charged all sorts of fees for services for which I will never partake (though I could if I lived close)....rec fee...IT/computer fees....etc.

I won't give to a general alumni fund because I don't know where it's going, and the school(s) get a metric shit-ton of money anyway.

If I had real money I would set up a scholarship.
 
No they can get fucked. They get something like 80% of my fees in hand from the government- and I'm paying about $1000 a paper. So no, they can fuck right off.

If I had riches to spare I would start a scholarship for students and fuck the uni.

In other words:

fuck-off_o_1035930.jpg
 
I've donated to my undergrad Veterans program and the actual alumni association. Without my degree, I wouldn't be where I'm at. Yes, I made more money working a blue collar job, but who wants to work 15 to 16 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week all the time? You work so much you can't spend the money you're earning and you miss your kids doing all their kid "stuff."
 
These are what I've seen motivates people I know to donate to their Alma matter (I think that is what it's called- maybe not):

1) the alumni had cherished memories/quality education and donates out of appreciation for the experience/opportunity.

2) the Alumni wants the tax write-off and this is a fast, easy, choice for a non-profit to donate to. They can be reasonably certain their money isn't being thrown away at some fly by night cluster fuck of a 501c3.

3) they want influence that their donation(s) may or may not bring.

I haven't actually experienced any of these things, because, ya know, reasons like... college for me has been as a raging dumpster fire, mostly.
 
Donations can easily be targeted to a specific program in a university or they can be made generally.

I'll donate to my alma mater next year, but it will go directly to the program I was in.

Donations can buy influence as @Andoni said, but the amount required is insane. I suspect most people do it either out of a sense of nostalgia, pure philanthropy or both.
 
To follow up on my original post, my University is building a very nice alumni veterans park/ monument in the heart of campus. I decided to donate to this project.
So tomorrow I'll get to see where my money went. I was invited to the ribbon cutting ceremony. I'll post pics later.
 
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