After four or more years, the class of 2004 is leaving UW-Madison behind. The UW Foundation is currently working to get some graduating seniors to leave behind a small legacy as well, and take with them a commitment to support the university.
The 2004 Senior Class Gift, a project of the UW Foundation, is seeking donations from graduating seniors as a gift to the university. Money from the gift will be used to improve three areas-the Wisconsin Union, the library system or the campus natural areas-or can be donated to a department at the donor's request.
Organizers of the project are looking for participation rather than large dollar amounts, according to Kara Luedtke, UW Foundation associate director of annual giving.
\We know that seniors are not the richest people in the world,"" Luedtke said. The most common amount for a donation so far, she said, is $20.04.
Ross Mau, a UW-Madison senior who works for the UW Foundation, said the main goal of the project is to educate seniors about donation to the university, which he said accounts for nearly 20 percent of UW-Madison's budget.
""It's just kind of keeping the trend going,"" Mau said, adding that those who donate now will be more likely to donate later as alumni.
Project organizers spread the word about the senior class gift at last week's Countdown to Commencement, and sent an e-mail to graduating seniors.
This year marks the second time in recent history a senior gift has been attempted. Last year, the UW Foundation tried to resurrect the project after a 10-year absence.
""'Tried' is the operative word there,"" Luedtke said of the 2003 attempt, which Mau referred to as ""kind of a failure."" Both Luedtke and Mau said the 2003 gift had not been well promoted, and they are taking a more active approach this year.
Some other Big Ten schools have more entrenched senior gift traditions. At Penn State, senior class gifts have included large-scale campus projects. According to Penn State's senior gift Web site, this year's project to improve a campus plaza has already garnered $22,600 in pledges.
Seniors graduating in December are also encouraged to donate to the UW-Madison senior class gift. More information is available at www.uwfoundation.wisc.edu/scg.
