We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Do You Still Support Your Alma Matter?

Nappy

Nappy

2024 Shaft Up #1 with UST Mamiya
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Jun 4, 2010
Messages
12,091
Reaction score
20,435
Location
Mineral Point, Wisconsin, United States
Handicap
PBR
I was having an interesting conversation with co-workers about their alma matter asking them for money. A lot of them seemed to be annoyed that this was happening and felt that their tuition in the past was more than enough. Only one was a hardcore alumni who believed he needed to support them further. I graduated from more of a tech school so I don't really have that problem and they've never once asked me for money, post graduation. I guess my personal opinion is that if I felt my school had set me up for great financial success, maybe I'd be more inclined to do so, but that wasn't really the case. And honestly sometimes I wonder if that degree is as valuable (in 2023) as it was when I graduated.

My wife noticed her school has been in the news a lot this year laying off faculty, cutting programs, yet are still building new buildings and constantly asking her for money. In the past she has given them money, but now she takes issue with them every time they try.

So all of this made me wonder.

Where did you go to college? Do you still still support them financially? No right or wrong answer, just genuinely curious.
 
I've recently stopped supporting my college. Carthage is a small school in Wisconsin. It said right on lake Michigan and is an absolutely beautiful place. But the president of the college gave himself a huge increase and laid off a bunch of staff. The staff voted to censure him. Not to mention there been a lot of things going on there that I don't agree with. It's where I met my wife, a lot of lifelong friends. I played golf there. I learned a lot about life and love the campus. But I refuse to support what it has become.... 😔
 
Unfortunately I haven’t.
 
Yes. Undergrad and law school. It’s not a lot. But, if my pension plan vests tonight or tomorrow night, it’ll be more!
 
My Alma Mater just paid $1.85 million to New Mexico State to come beat us in a football game.

They don’t need my money, anymore.
 
No

Two factors for me:

1 - Tuition has gotten out of hand. People talk about inflation on food products etc over the last couple of years but take a look at the college tuition trend over the last one to two decades. It's even worse.

On top of that, colleges have been increasingly hijacked by people with an agenda -- it's become not a place of learning and discovering but a place of indoctrination.
 
No. I have not and will not give more money to them.. no thank you. They have plenty. I do not.
 
Not a huge amount and in a very targeted fashion for the most part.

Undergrad and post grad.
 
St. Johns.

Absolutely not, and I will never give them another cent.
 
Not directly, but I dedicate a good number of hours each winter to help interview prospective students for their top end scholarship program. I consider that time more valuable that the amount of monetary donation I'd be willing to directly make.
 
Frank559 said:
No

Two factors for me:

1 - Tuition has gotten out of hand. People talk about inflation on food products etc over the last couple of years but take a look at the college tuition trend over the last one to two decades. It's even worse.

On top of that, colleges have been increasingly hijacked by people with an agenda -- it's become not a place of learning and discovering but a place of indoctrination.
Click to expand...
If was any good at writing or expressing my opinion this is EXACTLY what I would say!
 
I give $34/month to the NIL collective.... but if we lose to a New Mexico St again I'll stop that contribution..
 
Lehigh University has a $2 billion endowment so they don't need my small donations. I have spent time talking to chemical engineering students about careers and have interviewed some students for scholarships.
 
Not at all. My alma mater paid 73 million to get out of a failed deal to redevelop an area near campus that fell thru. Yeah, you don't need my chump change
 
The last time they called, I asked how big a check did I need to write for a degree? Seems they’d forgotten that they suggested I take some time of college 20 something years ago & I never went back.
 
I don’t but my wife feels a lot differently about supporting her Alma Mater which is a small Lutheran college. She actually sits on the board of regents and gives each year.
 
I mean I own a sweatshirt, does that count?
 
Minnesota State University, Mankato and no I don’t not support them financially. Wish I could attend some of their sporting events here and there but a little too far for a game here and there
 
Matthew said:
The last time they called, I asked how big a check did I need to write for a degree? Seems they’d forgotten that they suggested I take some time of college 20 something years ago & I never went back.
Click to expand...

Funny story. My wife's college is actually where I started and I was immature and didn't go to class often. I deserved to get kicked out. They asked me to leave for a bit too and then begged and begged me to come back. I didn't. Tech college was a much better fit for me.

But it was funny when I got a letter about 4 years later asking me to donate to a place I never graduated from. I volunteer on a fire department that has to beg/plead for 80% of our yearly funds from the community, yet there's a place down the street charging an arm and a leg for a degree and yet they somehow can't make money. Mind blowing to me.
 
I worked for my school's phone a thon during undergrad, calling alumni to ask for donations. The instant a student from my school calls me, instead of Institutional Advancement sending impersonal letters in the mail, I will donate.
 
My alma mater was bought. I supported it for some time but currently do not.
 
I don't support either financially, although I do take part time to time with career fairs and mentoring. I figure enough of my money is going to pay tuition for my own kids right now.

Will I donate down the road when I have more discretionary funds? I might. We'll see.
 
I went to George Mason University, for me it was commuter school as I lived relatively close by, and I was also considerably older than the conventional undergrad. So, no, I do not. I follow the hoopsters, and always like to see the occasional thing/article related to a graduate or a professor, but beyond that I'm out.

My wife went to Seton Hall, she sends them a bit of money annually, I think earmarked for something specific, but she's been rethinking this as well, as a private school they have a lot of cash from wealthy donors and never seem to fail to be building new and better stuff - so they surely seem pretty flush with cash. We visited the campus in Feb.
 
Yes. My wife and I met while at Carleton College in Northfield, MN. We both give to the school each year and have done so every year since graduation 35 years ago. This year is a reunion year and we are planning on giving a substantial gift.

We are unsure how exactly the gift will be made and whether to establish a scholarship fund or not. But we have settled on the amount of the gift as part of a multi year pledge.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top