Do you give $ to your alma mater?.... why or why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Through my 20s and early 30s, yes. Now, no, because they sent me so much crap, wasting so much money, I told them if continued, I would stop donating.

They sent more crap (I think it was a rubik's cube with campus buildings on each side that sent me over the edge), and I told them I was done.

Ok, that would make me donate more . That sounds awesome.

[Anonymous]

No I don’t. The way these schools spend money on all sorts of BS - so many other things I want to contribute to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No I don’t. The way these schools spend money on all sorts of BS - so many other things I want to contribute to.

...and that help people in actual/desperate need, rather than middle class younglings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. My alma mater has a like nine billion dollar endowment, my extra money goes to actual charities that need the money.

Yes. My college has a $1.5 million endowment PER STUDENT. I give a token amount ($25 a year) just to signal that I support them in general. But if I gave another few hundred, or even few thousand, I can't see that it would make much of a difference.

I give to GiveDirectly, which gives money directly to extremely poor people. Every dollar makes a huge difference in their lives.
https://www.givedirectly.org/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My college has a $1.5 million endowment PER STUDENT. I give a token amount ($25 a year) just to signal that I support them in general. But if I gave another few hundred, or even few thousand, I can't see that it would make much of a difference.

My undergrad alma mater is in this category, too. I always bought into the idea that as a loyal alum I was supposed to give consistently and increase my giving over the years, but this is one area where the great 2020 rethink changed my mind. I still give a token amount to a one scholarship fund and one fund that supports my major department, but I've started giving 10x as much to a college that mainly serves Black women.

I believe in the private SLAC and there are a lot of them out there that can easily end up in significant financial trouble that imperils their missions if alumni giving drops off or enrollments fall. But my alma mater is not in that category. They will be FINE. And my graduate universities are venerable state institutions overseas and I see no need to make up for inadequate support by the governments there. I'm going to focus on places that are changing lives locally.

[Anonymous]

I used to--not sure why--but since things went sideways with the pandemic, etc., I have been donating that money to the food bank instead.

[Anonymous]

I used to give what I thought was a fair amount ($500-$2500) to my college when I was a young alum and before I had kids. Once I had kids I lowered the amount to $100 or so a year, but I still give every year.

The school is one of the elite SLACs.

[Anonymous]

No, I don’t. I feel the $200k they got from my family when I attended is enough of a contribution.

[Anonymous]

No. I liked the education I got and appreciate the opportunities it gave me, but I have mixed feelings about the school. It also doesn’t really need my money. I give back by being part of the alumni network and interviewing undergraduate applicants instead.

Also, while this is somewhat petty, they rejected me for law school, and I hold a bit of a grudge about it.

[Anonymous]

Yep - $1500 every year for at least the past 20 years.

Four time Notre Dame graduate - got undergrad nearly free because my parents were poor, and the two masters and PhD for free because I was an adjunct plus a doctoral tuition waiver and stipend (for the second masters and PhD).

Yes, I know - they have a $15 billion endowment and the money could be given to more needy charities.

On the other hand, I always figured I owed them a lot.

[Anonymous]

No. They got my tuition money.

[Anonymous]

$2,500 a year. I believe in the school's mission. Elite SLAC in the Northeast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. They got my tuition money.

You understand that even people paying full freight aren't paying the full cost of their education, right?

I can think of a lot of good reasons not to donate to one's alma mater, but "I paid tuition, so we're even" isn't one of them.

[Anonymous]

No we have not but since our child is a rising senior, I’m wondering if we should have been. We both went to state schools but my child is interested in my husband’s alma mater. I’m wondering if they would hold it against her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No we have not but since our child is a rising senior, I’m wondering if we should have been. We both went to state schools but my child is interested in my husband’s alma mater. I’m wondering if they would hold it against her.

The development office and the admissions office don't share information, so unless you'd been meaning to donate a building or endow a chair, it doesn't matter.

GL with senior year and beyond!