Volunteers Give Time, Get Gifts for 2010 Reunion Classes

A grassroots fundraising campaign is growing Reunion giving to unprecedented heights.

Milestone classes are roughly halfway to a collective $350,000 fundraising goal for Reunion 2010. This year’s efforts include the 50th, 40th, 35th, 25th and 10th anniversary reunion groups.

These combined seven classes have already smashed last year’s record Reunion giving total of just less than $134,000. Associate Director of Annual Giving Jamie Stack Leszczynski ’04 credits an evolving volunteer-based effort.

For the past two years, Oswego alumni have joined in soliciting gifts in honor of their classes and exceeded expectations. Each volunteer essentially starts off by contacting a handful of friends.

“They really are a vital part of this,” Leszczynski said of the record 31 volunteers involved in this year’s Reunion giving effort. “That one e-mail or phone call they are making does make a difference.”

Some groups, like the 40th anniversary Class of 1970 and 35th Reunion group including the classes of 1974 to 1976, are contributing to the new Possibility Scholar Program as part of their gifts.

The classes of 1960, 1985 and 2000 are raising money that will go wherever the need on campus is greatest.

The added incentive of bragging rights for the class with the highest participation brings an air of competitive camaraderie to the fundraising. The personal touch that comes with the primarily word-of-mouth campaign also stokes alma mater affinity and participation in Reunion itself, Leszczynski said.

“It reengages our alumni and reconnects them to campus,” she said.

The gradual growth of designated Reunion class gifts and fundraising volunteers has mirrored increasing attendance at each of the last two Reunion Weekends.

Dozens of events – planned by another committee of Reunion volunteers – will be included in the 2010 edition of Reunion Weekend, scheduled for June 10 to 13. An official schedule for milestone classes and many other groups and organizations will be released in later this month.

— Shane M. Liebler



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