The 2012 Senior Class Giving Campaign has received more donations than previous years due to increased student awareness and the campaign’s activity on Syracuse University’s campus.
The gifts consist of student donations that help improve specific programs and colleges within SU. Currently, the campaign has received 138 donations. This number is expected to continue increasing until commencement, said Kristen Duggleby, assistant director of development of annual giving.
The campaign committee, made of 12 SU students, aims to spread the word about the campaign and educate students about the importance of giving back to the university. The committee marketed the campaign during the year with social media, networking at different events and by speaking to fellow students, Duggleby said.
‘It is not too late for students to support the campaign and leave their legacy,’ she said.
Bonnie Kong, a student member of the Senior Class Giving Campaign, said the campaign’s mission is to encourage students to donate $20.12, which is put toward the 2012 class gifts.
Seniors are able to choose the amount of money they want to donate as well as where their contributions will specifically go. Many students who enjoyed their time abroad have donated to SU Abroad, while students who found their lab work meaningful have donated to the biology department, Kong said.
‘The great part about it is that students can give back to something that they feel most passionate about,’ Kong said.
Giving for the campaign is becoming more frequent than it has been in past years. About 5 percent of the senior class has donated toward the campaign, Kong said. Last year, about 3 percent of the 2011 senior class made donations.
The effects of the donations may not be seen right away, she said, but are very important to the school. Kong herself donated $44 to the College of Arts and Sciences in hopes that it will go toward buying new lab equipment and books for future students. Students are encouraged to give right now, as students, so that they are more likely to donate to the university in the future, she said.
 ‘To be honest, the donations have a very small effect, but in the long run, they can have a very powerful impact,’ she said.
Shira Berg, a senior public relations major, said in an email that she donated money because of how much the university means to her.
‘Syracuse is a really special place to me. I have had a lot of memories both academically and socially,’ Berg said. ‘I believe that there are a lot of opportunities on campus that are extremely beneficial to students.’
Berg donated to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications because the school provides a lot of opportunities for its students, specifically in academic majors and activities, she said.
It is important for seniors to donate to SU, she said, because many qualified students are unable to attend the university for financial reasons.
‘I hope that my donation will go towards student scholarships to help students that are less fortunate,’ Berg said.
Fundraising for the campaign is becoming easier than it was in the past, said Kong, the senior public policy and economics major.
Seniors can still donate money through the Senior Class Giving Campaign’s official website, over the phone or through mail.
mhnewman@syr.edu