Boston College celebrates Giving Tuesday with a challenge

On Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving, an anonymous donor challenged the Boston College community to donate – and we did. 

This afternoon, over 1,000 people donated to Boston College, meaning the donor will contribute $100,000 to financial aid funds. For every 100 people afterwards who donate, the donor will contribute an additional $10,000.

Alumni and parents could donate any sum to a variety of departments and programs, including financial aid, the Boston College Fund (which is unrestricted), athletics and academics, spirituality and student activities, each of the four Boston College schools, as well as the graduate schools, AHANA programs, the Campus School, and the CWBC Colloquium, among others.

There was also a write-in option for donors to choose a specific program or group to support.

Alumna Sue Warren Ramsey, the Executive Director of Alumni and Parent Giving, spoke to The Tab about the importance of this day. She said: “Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving an an opportunity to unite the BC community to give back to this very special place.

“BC Eagles know what it means to be ‘men and women for others’ and it’s inspiring to see how the community comes together for BC.”

In regard to this year’s day of giving, Ms. Ramsey said: “We were well over the halfway mark [of 1,000 donors] at noon time, and the average donation was $142.

She added: “We raised over $2 million in total from gifts under $100 last year.”

During her time at Boston College, Ms. Ramsey majored in Psychology and was the co-Captain of the Women’s Ice Hockey Team. She said: “Giving Tuesday provides the opportunity to give back to those areas that shaped their personal BC experience – this personal impact is a strong motivator.

“Gifts can support financial aid, a specific school, an athletic program, or a favorite club or organization. Today, my own gift supported the Women’s Ice Hockey team.”

Meghan Dunn, a 2015 alumna and co-chair of the 2015 GOLD alumni, said: “This year I donated to financial aid at Boston College. My experiences and relationships over my four years shaped me immensely and I hope my donation helps prospective and current students share similar experiences and form life long friendships with peers, faculty, and staff.”

Meghan (in pink) with members of the 2015 Senior Class Gift Committee at the Senior Class Toast in May

She added: “I believe it is important for young alumni to donate and give back to the school that gave us so much in the course of four short years.

“At BC, for young alumni our focus is participation. By donating any dollar amount, alumni help increase the value of their degree. The number of alumni donating to BC directly affects BC’s rankings.

“For the Class of 2015, we had a record breaking senior class gift participation – 78 percent! It is my hope in the coming years we can keep up this momentum and continue to give back.”

“As for how young alumni can stay involved, there are GOLD (graduates of the last decade) events and chapter events around the country. There are BC eagles everywhere, so there are countless opportunities for alumni to network and learn from each other.”

Caroline Stride, also a 2015 graduate and member of GOLD, said: “As a recent grad I believe it is important to give back to BC, no matter how significant the donation, as I have never been more thankful for the preparation BC provided me to enter the workforce.

“You always hear that BC generates well-rounded alumni who excel in a variety of arenas, but in the first six months post-graduation you really get to see this come to life as you and all your friends begin the next chapters of their lives.”