April 10, 1994 marked the kickoff of this year's Senior Class Gift Program, which will continue until April 25. As a large number of members of the Class of 1994 enjoyed a Hanover Inn-catered dinner Sunday night, we were reminded by a returning alumnus that "Harvard turns out lawyers, Yale turns out doctors, and Dartmouth turns out alumni." It is a special College that gives rise to this sort of sentiment.
One wonders why we seniors should give one cent more to the College than the $100,000-plus we have already paid since we arrived as 'shmen in the Fall of 1990. Certainly, I will have little to spare, with debts to repay once I graduate on June 12. With job prospects for the '94 class looking only slightly less bleak than those of last year's seniors, it is probably everyone's inclination to hold on to any money they might have.
With these concerns in mind, there are still compelling reasons to contribute to the Senior Class Gift. Dartmouth obtains its income through three major areas: interest from the endowment, tuition and Alumni Gifts. The interest on the endowment is fixed. While tuition is admittedly high, the administration has been trying to raise it as little as possible.
If you can believe this, our tuition dollars only cover about 48 percent of the cost of our "Dartmouth Experience." Meanwhile, the Alumni Fund pays for close to 20 percent of the College's current operating costs. Therefore, alumni contributions are a major determining factor on the quality of programs and services the College can offer. Every individual's contribution can make a difference in the life of the average student at Dartmouth.
As mentioned earlier, the College is well-known for its loyal alums and the large amount of financial support they provide. Graduating seniors cannot be expected to make large financial contributions, as they are just starting out in life. However, they can all band together and pledge to support the College in whatever amount they can afford. This year, the Senior Class Gift Program is seeking a minimum $10 pledge from each '94 for four years. Even if one is going off to law or medical school next year, one surely can afford 2.7 cents a day.
There are a million little things we love to complain about at Dartmouth: the Registrar, Parking Operations, Safety and Security, meal plans, the Office of Residential Life and the administration all come to mind. I am no exception to that rule.
But the bottom line is this - we are all pretty lucky to be able to attend an institution like Dartmouth, and if my $10 or $20 a year can assist some other student in coming here, I'll consider it money well spent. I certainly would not have been able to attend Dartmouth were it not for the generosity of its alumni. Many other members of the Class of 1994 would not have been able to come here, either, were it not for the generous contributions from classes of old.
The important thing to remember is this: administrations come and go, but Dartmouth has been in existence since 1769, and it has only improved in stature over time. Some '94s out there may have serious reservations about where the College has been or where it is heading. Contributing to the Alumni Fund allows us to put our money where our mouth is and help shape Dartmouth to become the best it can be.
The time is now for the Class of 1994 to show that it wants to make its mark on Dartmouth for succeeding generations. What a wonderful statement it would be if we could achieve 100 percent participation: each classmate contributing as much as he or she is able in order to ensure a great future for the College on the Hill.
