MSU's senior class hopes to have more students donate for the class gift than the University of Michigan - and beat them in the competition for the third year in a row.
The Senior Class Challenge has a goal of raising more money than they did last year, which was just more than $25,000. The senior class gift has been a tradition since 1873, but only became a race between rivals in 2001 when U-M's senior class at the time challenged MSU's seniors to see who could get higher participation.
"It's all about involvement and giving back," said Bryan Griffin, assistant director of annual giving programs for University Development.
"But it's really a challenge based on participation rate. Whoever has the highest participation rate wins a scholarship."
The award, a $1,000 grant, is given from the MSU Federal Credit Union and the U-M Credit Union to the university with the highest number of donations.
Griffin said he's confident MSU will win for the third year.
"We've got a pretty good structure in place," he said. "U-M basically relies on telemarketing, and we have a volunteer structure."
The campaign is for senior students only and the minimum donation is $5. The challenge ends April 30.
Senior class council member and University Development intern Laura Spence said they have already raised about $3,000, with 55 students donating. The average donation is $40. Their campaigning techniques had a lot to do with the turnout so far, Spence said.
"I don't think U-M has the student involvement," Spence said. "It's a lot easier when you have someone graduating promoting the campaign rather than the faculty.
"The more we're on campus, the more exposure we have, the more donations we're going to get."
Students without much cash on them can make a donation with the Spartan Pledge Program, Spence said. Seniors can make a pledge and pay it within a year.
Griffin said when seniors make a donation, they fill out a pledge card denoting the amount they wish to give and where they want it to go.
Donors have several choices ranging from their particular college, the restoration of Sparty or to a different organization of their choice.
"Right now it's been the restoration of Sparty," Griffin said of the fund the donors have been most interested in. "It's going really well."
For more information on donations, contact Spence at spencela@msu.edu or go to www.givingto.msu.edu
