Seniors unveil class gift

The Class of 2009 is raising money for two bulldog statues to adorn an entrance to Bulldog Stadium.

Later today, the Class of 2009 will unveil their class gift – two bulldog statues that will greet visitors as they enter Bulldog Stadium. The gift was determined by a vote of the senior class.

The announcement is part of the second Senior Class Gift Campaign Week sponsored by the Class Gift Committee. Seniors are invited to visit a table set up each day in the Rotunda from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to make a donation. Students who contribute $20.09 (in honor of their class year) or more will be invited to a Champagne Toast during Senior Week. Students who give $50 or more will also receive a Bryant water bottle. All students who donate will be entered in daily raffles for Dunkin Donuts, Target, Stop & Shop and gas gift cards. They will also receive a coupon for a free coffee, tea, or hot chocolate at the Scoop.

Seniors, parents, and friends can also give online with a credit card by going to Bryant Online Giving. In the “Gift Designation” section on the second page, simply write “2009 Senior Class Gift” in the “Gift Designation Other” line.

The campaign got off to great start at a kickoff celebration held at the end of October when more than $12,000 was raised in one night. To date, more than $24,000 has been raised, with a participation rate of 16 percent. The goal is $35,000.

There is an extra incentive to make a donation: If the class reaches a 50 percent participation rate, President Ronald K. Machtley has pledged to jump into the campus pond.

“The class gift is important because it helps us leave a legacy on campus,” says Normand Duquette (Rehoboth, MA), one of the three Senior Class Gift Committee chairs along with Hannah Jorgensen (Spruce Head, ME) and Anne Koskey-Wagoner (Lynn, MA).

Long-lasting connection

The mission of the senior class gift is to instill in students the importance of giving back to their alma mater and to encourage them to stay connected with Bryant long after Commencement Day.

“The Senior Class Gift is the first step in creating a culture of philanthropy,” says Koskey-Wagoner, a marketing and management double concentrator who hopes to work in corporate event planning.

(L-R) Senior Class Gift Co-Chairs Normand Duquette (Rehoboth, MA), Anne Koskey-Wagoner (Lynn, MA), and Hannah Jorgensen (Spruce Head, ME).

Jorgensen says getting involved in the class gift campaign is important because it allows her to join the legacy of past Bryant classes that left their mark on campus.

“I felt that giving a gift to the University that will be here for years to come is an excellent way to give back,” says Jorgensen, a marketing concentrator who recently accepted a position at EMC.

Examples of past senior class gifts include the restoration of the Archway, café tables outside of the Douglas and Judith Krupp Library, the townhouse picnic area, and benches along Alumni Walk.

Back row (L-R) Joe Pelletier (Newburyport, MA), Jay Hurtubise (Warwick, RI), Hassan Zawawi (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), Alicia Haelen (Middletown, NY), Christine Lorefice (New Windsor, NY), and Ben Healy (Reading, MA). Middle row (L-R) Matt Moore (East Sandwich, MA),Jillian Emma (Henniker, NH), Rachel Martinich (Fairfield, CT), Aisha Whichard (West Haven, CT), Maria Musarskaya (Moscow, Russia), Alyssa Quattropani (Colchester, CT), Jenna Coates (Wethersfield, CT), Stephanie Montagano (Wakefield, MA), and Del Gagnon (Presque Isle, ME). Front row (L-R) Hannah Jorgensen (Spruce Head, ME), Normand Duquette (Rehoboth, MA), and Anne Koskey-Wagoner (Lynn, MA).

Duquette, a finance concentrator, says he looks forward to coming back to campus years from now and seeing the gift his class donated. “It is great to know that in 20 years, we can come back to Bryant with our families and show them our legacy.”

Adds Jorgensen “After all the amazing experiences Bryant has provided me, I thought this was a good way to say ‘thank you.’ ”