Giving Back as an Alumnus

It is that time of year that I generally receive a call from my esteemed university about giving back as an alumnus. I generally expect this call every Spring, and generally try to budget toward attempting to donate in some fashion. I once again contributed this year with TCU called, and I was more than happy to do so. I have often discussed the idea of giving back to the university with friends, and I hope that it was to a positive effect. Yet there is always reservations some people have:

"Why should I give back to a university when I paid for the education there?"
"Tuition fees are high enough, why should I give them any more money?"
"I don't want my money going to the sports programs?"
Etc., Etc., Etc.

While I hear these concerns and appreciate them, I really think there are some quality reasons to give back to your university.

Giving the gift of TCU to others:

While I know that TCU is a school with rather expansive monetary means, that doesn't mean the school runs itself. It would be a dream if one day every student that attended TCU could do so at no cost, and that becomes even closer to a reality as TCU is able to increase their endowments and financial means to relieve students of the burden of tuition. This can be in scholarships, stemming tuition increases, and increase quality of faculty and facilities. I don't know about you, but I loved my TCU experience. I hope that many others for generations to come will have the opportunity to experience it as well. If my support can make that happen in the long run, then I am happy to do so.

Showing you value your degree:

I know it sounds a bit wierd, but giving back to TCU actually increases the value of your degree. Quality universities such as Harvard, Yale, Dartmoth, Stanford, and others all have very high alumni participation rates in giving after graduation. The reason why is because people valued their time at the University. The more people that give back to their university often is a solid indicator of the value of that degree to those who attended. So when you give back, you are in a way telling others that your time at TCU was worth it, and you valued your experience.

Giving to Quality Programs:

One thing that a lot of people don't know about the giving programs at TCU is that you can designate your gift to a specific program at the University. Many people as a result give to their respective colleges. However, I kind of think the Neeley School is probably doing well enough on its own, so I designate my gift to the Starpoint School. It is a wonderful program that assists children with learning disabilities to receive a quality elementary education as well as train studens in special education teaching practices. It is truly a wonderful program at TCU, and one that I think should be well funded.

And you know what? They actually send correspondance back every year! It is really rewarding to know that even a small gift from me is going to support a wonderful program at the University. With all the wonderful things on campus, you can find a program you are passionate about and give. If you want to learn more about the Starpoint School visit here: http://www.sofe.tcu.edu/Projects/ProjectLinks/StarPointSch.htm

In Conclusion:

There are a lot of other reasons I support the practice of giving back to our University, but these are a few. It doesn't even mean you have to give a lot, just that you give. Giving shows you care about TCU, and weren't just buying a product. (Your Degree) Even as little as $20 is a valueable contribution to the University. So why not brown bag it for a week to work, or skip a meal out one weekend, and give back to a valuable program at your respective University.

P.S. I didn't write on Lost last week, I hope to return with Episode 4 over the next few days. I apologize!