As March Madness continues to thrill college basketball fans, SUNY Oswego Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) alumni are invited to participate in March Matchness.
On March 1, Brad Bernstein ’89 and his wife, Liz, issued a challenge to SUNY Oswego GOLD (or members of SUNY Oswego classes of 2014 to 2023): If 200 of them make a gift during March, the Bernsteins will donate $40,000 to The Fund for Oswego.
“I hope our gift inspires all GOLD alumni to remember their time at Oswego and to make a gift in honor of the great memories they have of Oswego and the great education they received,” said Brad Bernstein, who is a current member of the Oswego Alumni Association (OAA) Board of Directors and who, with his wife, serve as the parent chairs of The Fund for Oswego.
The challenge prompted Brianne Branco ’20 to be the first GOLD alum to make a gift in March Matchness.
“Many of us are not in a position to give big gifts, but matching programs like the March Matchness GOLD Challenge allow us to make a huge impact with the amount we are able to give back,” Branco said.
She said she is happy to support her alma mater because she is grateful for her education, particularly for the history department, so she designated her gift to support that area.
“I truly believe the support and encouragement the faculty provided me as a student transformed me into a successful adult,” she said. “The history department gave so much to me, including confidence and the ability to believe in myself. I can never thank them enough, but it is great to give back in the ways that I can.”
Family competition
Among the other early challenge supporters is the Bernsteins' daughter, Sara ’18 M’19, who is a senior tax associate at Citrin Cooperman in New York City.
"My parents have always made it a priority to give back when possible and they have taught us to do the same," Sara Bernstein said. "Philanthropy has always been important in my family. I’m happy that they have this opportunity to encourage others to do the same."
To build momentum, Sara reached out to her friends from Oswego and encouraged them to make a gift as well.
"Oswego provides their students with a surplus of opportunities, which helps the students grow like myself," she said. "It is important that Oswego is able to continue making a positive impact on their students."
Sara Bernstein said during her years at Oswego, she learned some basic skills like building a resume from scratch, but also gained invaluable leadership and soft skills through such activities as Adopt-A-Grandparent and serving as president of the women's club soccer team.
She playfully laid out her own challenge to her family claiming her green-and-gold school spirit is stronger than that of her brother, Matt ’24, a finance major who graduates in May, and her dad. She also said she is proud of what her parents are doing through the challenge.
"They’re doing a great thing for Oswego," she said. "It’s so nice to see them being able to give back in such a significant way."
In addition to serving as the challenger for March Matchness, Brad Bernstein has supported his alma mater by participating in the annual Meet the Accountants night hosted by the School of Business, speaking in classes through the Alumni Sharing Knowledge program, hosting an informational table at the New York City Career Connections event and donating his time and expertise on the OAA board.
He and his family also established the Dan Griffin ’92 M’00 Second Chance Scholarship to be awarded to a deserving accounting major as a “second chance” award. The scholarship is in memory of Griffin, who worked in admissions at SUNY Oswego for more than 27 years, including as the director for six years, and who recognized the role that SUNY Oswego could play in transforming the lives of prospective students.
“When we look back on our college days, we think of everything we were given during those times,” Brad Bernstein said. “Whether that be our education, friends, the guidance of faculty members or general life experiences we didn’t have before college, we know that we wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for our days in college.
“I also support SUNY Oswego because it is a very special place for me and I believe in the mission of the university,” he said. “Everyone deserves to get an education and gain the tools they need to be successful in life. I feel very fortunate to be in a position where I can use my own good fortunes to help Oswego students. It makes me happy to know that I can help remove some financial barriers for students.”
Stay up to date on the March Matchness Challenge by checking the gift tracker online: alumni.oswego.edu/marchmatchness.
-- Submitted by University Advancement