How much money can you raise in a week? How much would you keep ?
One Howard University class has uncommonly awesome answers to both questions. The Class of 2010 Howard University Bison are at it again. Celebrating their fifth-year reunion and the second We Are Howard campaign, the class of 2010 is again set out to:
- Encourage alumni and students to make smart, worthwhile investments by donating to their institutions through leading by example with the We Are Howard campaign
- Fund scholarships, providing assistance to Howard University students who need financial assistance in order to graduate
- Cultivate an increased, ripple effect in alumni giving, especially at historically black colleges and universities
Last year, the We Are Howard campaign raised $104,534.00, from 930 donors, changing 15 lives, forever. With over 800 new alumni donors to Howard, the We Are Howard campaigned raised the alumni giving percent by an entire percentage. Recent graduates themselves, the class of 2010 stresses the importance of donating to one’s Alma Mater, with crafty messages, for example highlighting that the suggested donation is comparable to the cost of an average party or homecoming ticket, but much greater in value.
According to a list generated from Council for Aid to Education report, in 2013, alumni contributions rose 9 percent. Of $33.8 billion, alumni contribution is responsible for 26.6 percent. On average, 12 percent of alumni donated to each school on the list. Historically black college and university (HBCU) giving is calculated at just below 10 percent. Ten HBCUs have unusually high alumni giving rates:
Claflin University – 43 %
Spelman College – 37.3 %
Morehouse College – 29.3 %
Tuskegee University – 23 %
Livingstone College – 21.4 %
Fort Valley State University – 17.2 %
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff – 13.6 %
Johnson C. Smith University – 13.5 %
Tougaloo College – 12.9 %
One Howard University class alone is increasing its rank in national alumni giving rankings and putting a serious deposit into the bank account of its Alma Mater. This year, the We Are Howard campaign set out to raise $20,100, originating from “2010”, the class’ graduation year. Five days into the campaign, over 165 donors have contributed more than $23k. Most individual donors have given on the “Hero Level”, giving $167 and receiving a commemorative 5-year anniversary package including access to various events during the Howard University homecoming weekend. The campaign urges a $67 donation in honor of the year Howard University was founded, 1867. All donations are welcomed with much appreciation. The donation is tax-deductible and most of the proceeds are given to the We Are Howard campaign, supporting Howard University students (funds also reimburse fees and fund commemorative packages). For more information and to make a donation to the We Are Howard campaign, visit wearehoward.com and HU2010.org.
