Senior Gift Committee Fundraising at the ’Sco

To the Editors:

This Friday, November 22, the Senior Gift Committee will be hosting a fundraising party at the ‘Sco. Two different groups will DJ, and there will be beer and snacks for everyone who turns out (seniors–free, non-seniors $2). In return, we ask that seniors make a gift to Oberlin. Gifts can be directed to any Oberlin-affiliated department, program or organization (student groups must be chartered). One area where Oberlin really needs your support is scholarship. Please consider directing your gift to the OberLegacy Scholarship, which provides money to rising seniors who are unable to afford their senior year tuition. I’d give you a speech about the value of an Oberlin education, but while I think an Oberlin education is special, it’s not the primary reason to give. More importantly, think of the relationships you have built during your four years at college, the clubs you have joined, the convocations you attended, and the parties you got smashed at. Nobody should have to give that up or switch schools because they are unable to afford tuition.
If you prefer, consider supporting an academic department (history, biology, musicology), the library, an athletic team, or chartered student group. Remember that you can specify where your donation is allocated. With the recent economic downturn the endowment is less profitable, and as we all know, the college has been forced to cut funding across the board. Some seniors, who have already contacted the committee, have expressed a desire to direct their donations to the clubs and organizations they participated in during their time at Oberlin. For example, several players on the Ultimate Frisbee team have given money asking that it be used to send the team to future tournaments. During our time at Oberlin, the college has been able to give money to clubs, allowing students to participate in activities like Frisbee tournaments, but this may not be possible anymore if the economy does not recover. Seniors have the chance to ensure that future Oberlin students have the same opportunities that we had to participate in a myriad of club activities during our four years at college.
Finally, seniors should donate money to the college because the degree you graduate with does not have a fixed value. The more money Oberlin has the better the college can be (if the money is spent wisely), and the better a degree from Oberlin will appear.
The easiest way to give is simply to allow the college to keep some of the money you have already given. Each student paid the college a matriculation fee of two hundred dollars prior to enrolling. Upon graduation the money is returned to you and not your parents, even if your parents originally paid the fee. Seniors can give any or all of this money back to the college. I encourage all seniors to give, even if your gift is only five dollars, for all the reasons I have mentioned, and because an anonymous donor has promised a substantial contribution to the OberLegacy Scholarship should at least thirty percent of the senior class make a gift of any size. So, please come to the ‘Sco this Friday and show your support for your club/department of choice or your junior friend who may need financial assistance.

–Nicholas Calabrese
College senior