Dr. Saundra J. Tracy
President
I am reminded of our wonderful Alma College alumni community when during the third week of April one quarter of our students become alumni. Little did they suspect when they arrived on campus four years ago that they would be part of Alma College for a lifetime. Our alumni members of the Alma community welcome them into this new status with career advice and a network of persons worldwide willing to assist in their professional endeavors. Our alumni truly are an extraordinary Alma asset.
The alumni also are an asset in their commitment to support their alma mater financially.
We often tell these new alumni that “with education comes the obligation” — the obligation to others who will come after them to make opportunities available like those they were privileged to pursue. And many of our Alma College alumni have done just that — given back to their alma mater so that we can pass on the legacy of the Alma Experience to another generation of deserving students.
Art and Carra Smith have done so, and in so doing, challenged other alumni to catch their vision of passing on the Alma legacy. Their vision is that of an alumni community where at least half its members financially support Alma College annually. Just imagine the impact if 50 percent of our alumni made a financial gift to Alma College each year!
We would be among the top colleges nationally for alumni giving.
It could positively impact Alma College’s national ratings since alumni giving is one of the variables used in the U.S. News and World Report and other college ratings.
Such an alumni giving rate would be a positive factor for foundations’ decisions to support Alma.
Our alumni would vividly model for current students the obligation they have to future generations.
Although Art and Carra Smith have stepped forward with a $1,000,000 commitment, they do not prescribe an amount for anyone’s gifts. They simply ask that alumni either increase current giving or give if they have not given before. Any amount of gift counts toward the percentage of alumni giving whether it is $10 or $10,000.
Please accept the Smith Challenge and be counted among the Alma alumni intent on passing on the Alma legacy to others. There is another generation ready for the Alma Experience.
