2018 Senior Class Gift

SENIOR CLASS GIFT

The Class of 2018's gift to the University is our way of leaving a lasting impact and legacy on the Forty Acres.

CLASS GIFT HISTORY

In 1924, during an Austin snowstorm, more than half of the student body at the time (4,400) rallied to build a football stadium for UT’s campus. In a just over a week, they raised $100,000, nearly $1.5 million today, which was then matched by local Austinites and alumni, ultimately resulting in the construction of Memorial Stadium. The Class of 2018 will bring back this tradition and legacy of giving with the first student-run and student-fundraised senior class gift.

WHY GIVE BACK?

Helping start this tradition shows that the Class of 2018 is a class of Longhorns who:

• Value the world-class education they've received at UT

• Believe in giving back and helping future students

• Are eager to leave a strong and lasting legacy on the Forty Acres

Furthermore, your gifts will be matched by The Office of President Fenves, up to $50,000, and matched dollar for dollar by VPSA (Vice President of Student Affairs).

THE CLASS GIFTS

1. Interpersonal Violence Peer Supporters – Donations to this gift will assist the group of trained students who provide peer-to-peer support for students impacted by interpersonal violence including family and relationship violence. Donations will help provide a stipend or wage for the peer supporters so they can continue to provide this essential service without financial difficulty. Your donation to IVPS will fund stipends (total of $25,000) or wages (total of $35,000+) for the incoming 16 peer supporters, depending on the final fundraising total. 
2. Student Emergency Services Food Pantry – Nearly 1 out of every 4 Longhorn students is food insecure, meaning that they are in the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. Furthermore, food insecurity is also a condition where people must skip meals, cut back on the quality and quantity of what they eat, or rely on emergency sources for food. With Student Emergency Services having opened its new on-campus food pantry, the UT Outpost, at 2609 University Avenue (UA9) on May 4, the Class of 2018 would like to stock this food pantry with meals for our fellow Longhorns. The average meal cost in Travis County is $2.96. With a donation of $20.18, you will provide nearly 7 meals to the food pantry. By fundraising $35,000, the Class of 2018 could provide a meal to the 11,856 Longhorn students who are food insecure. Help out and make a fellow Longhorns’ day!
3. Longhorn Silhouette – The addition of a Longhorn silhouette to the Student Activity Center (SAC) will allow the Class of 2018 to memorialize the return of the tradition of the class gift, while also offering a new location in the rotunda between the Starbucks and SAC Help Desk for photos of the next generations of Longhorns. The 16' x 8.25' silhouette will also feature a plaque below it to signify the donations made by the Class of 2018. The implementation and construction of the Silhouette will be led by the Texas Unions. The difference between the fundraiser amount and the construction cost will be covered by the SAC.

BECOMING PART OF THE TRADITION

The presentation of the Class Gift will take place at spring graduation with donors that participated with a donation of $20.18 or more being identified with a commemorative Class of 2018 philanthropy pin to wear at graduation.  

Daily Texan: "Student Government launches inaugural senior class gift" 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• How is the Senior Class Gift different from tuition or endowments?

  • Tuition, which currently amounts to 21 percent of UT’s budget, helps cover the less apparent costs of facilities, utilities, faculty and staff salaries and student services. The Senior Class Gift intends to fund programs and entities that are not adequately covered by tuition.

• How will my donation be recognized?

  • All donors will have the option to be on the virtual Donor Wall on the HornRaiser page. Seniors that donate $20.18 (or more) will receive a Senior Class Gift pin to wear at graduation. Lastly, the programs or symbols donated by the senior class will feature plaques that read that the donations came from the Class of 2018.

• How much am I being asked to give?

  • Our recommended donation is $20.18. That said, Our primary goal is participation. We encourage students to participate in Class Giving by donating however much they currently can in a way that is most meaningful to them.

• Who is in charge of the Class Gift?

  • The Class of 2018 Gift is a Student Government initiative, managed by the Class Gift Agency of Student Government, with the support of the President’s office and the UT Development Office.

• Do other universities have class gifts?

  • Yes, many large universities across the United States have Class Gift programs. These universities, ranging from Oklahoma University to University of North Carolina and Penn State, fundraise for similar gifts as the ones identified. These programs have a longstanding history of valuable gifts donated to campus with significant participation rates amongst each graduating class.

• I don’t have a credit card to donate. What can I do?

  • Cash and check donations will be accepted at several pop-up donation spots, as well as the Student Government office in the Student Activity Center (SAC). Email classgift@utexas.edu if you would like to pay by an alternative method of payment.

• How much do I need to donate to receive a pin?

  • Each student (or relative donating on behalf of a senior) that participates with a donation of $20.18 or more will receive the graduation gift.

• I am a parent of a Class of 2018 graduate. Can I donate?

  • Absolutely! Parents donating for Class of 2018 graduates should include their Longhorn’s name in the donation note. Parents not representing Class of 2018 students can donate as well!

• I am an underclassmen at UT. Can I donate? If so, why should I donate?

  • You can absolutely donate and start your tradition of giving back to UT! Donating will help improve the University that you still have semesters at.

• I won’t have any money until after I graduate. Can I donate then?

  • Donations will be accepted after graduation. Furthermore, many employers match donations their employees make. Please see if your company matches donations at: http://www.matchinggifts.com/utexas

• How were the class gifts chosen?

  • A poll was sent out to the Class of 2018 in January 2018. With the results, the Senior Class Gift Committee selected the three gifts.

• Will I be able to divide my $20.18 to support multiple gifts?

  • Yes, HornRaiser offers the capability to split your gift amongst two or three different options! See the image below for how to divide your gift up.

• What have been class gifts in the past?

  • This is the first ever student-run and student-fundraised Senior Class Gift on UT’s campus! The University has donated projects in honor of the four year graduation rate initiatives including a West Mall Revival that is underway in honor of the Class of 2017. Furthermore, students have donated several times in UT's history to fund the Martin Luther King statue in 1999 and to place a grand piano in the Women's Building in 1901. The West Mall Revival project was not opened to a student vote whereas the Class of 2018 gifts were voted on and donated by the class. Other universities’ class gifts have gone towards improving campus scenery, funding programs, and benefitting specific student organizations.

• How much of a difference could my contribution make?

  • Any gift, no matter how big or how small, makes an impact.

• When will the grand total be announced?

  • The grand total will be announced at the Class of 2018's Commencement Ceremony.

PIN PICKUP INFORMATION

ins are available for pickup in Walter Webb Hall room 210 during the times listed below. When you come to pick up your pin, you will go upstairs go through the doors to the right of the elevators and walk into suite 210. (Follow the signs for the Annual Giving Office)

• Monday May 7th from 8:30am until 4:30pm
• Tuesday May 8th from 8:30am until 3:00pm
• Wednesday May 9th from 8:30 am until 4:30pm
• Thursday May 10th from 8:30am until 11:30am and from 1:00pm until 4:30pm
• Friday May 11th from 8:30am until 4:30pm
• Monday May 14th from 8:30 am until 2:30pm
• Tuesday May 15th from 8:30am until 3:00pm
• Wednesday May 16th from 8:30am until 4:30pm

After May 14th the remaining pins will be mailed to the address given at checkout. If you know that you would like your pin mailed you can complete this form. Please know that mailed pins will not be mailed until after graduation. Any questions and to coordinate alternate pick ups in special circumstances can be sent to k.sullivan@Austin.utexas.edu

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact us at classgift@utexas.edu

The Class of 2018 Gift is a Student Government initiative, managed by the Class Gift Agency of Student Government, with the support of the President’s office and the UT Development Office.

HORNRAISER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Is my contribution tax-deductible?
  • Yes! 100 percent of your gift is tax-deductible. Gifts to projects featured on HornRaiser are considered charitable contributions to The University of Texas at Austin.
• Will I receive a receipt for my contribution?
  • Yes! You will receive a gift acknowledgment and tax receipt from the university.
• When will my credit card be charged?
  • Your credit card is charged immediately upon finalizing your gift on HornRaiser.