The Annual Fund has had a profound impact on my four years at Macalester. I’ve made some of my closest friends through my work study job in the call center, and it has sparked my interest in pursuing development and fundraising in the future. I’ve had the opportunity to meet wonderful staff members who work tirelessly on behalf of the college and to chat with alumni about their unique and diverse experiences at Mac.

While calling alumni isn’t always pleasant, I am constantly surprised by the many people I talk to who are excited to speak to current students and rave about how impactful their time was on this campus. As I reflect on the past four years, I am grateful for the friends and experiences I have gained through working at the Annual Fund.

However, I am not the only one who has benefited from the Annual Fund. We all do, every single day. A large percentage of money from the Annual Fund goes towards ensuring that Mac meets 100 percent of the demonstrated need of its students. This is evident in the fact that 79 percent of us receive financial aid. Even those that don’t have financial aid still benefit since the actual cost of educating a Mac student is $16,000 more than the price of full tuition for one year. Donations help to make up this difference. The Annual Fund also supports the amazing faculty and staff who have shaped our time here and helps to fund opportunities such as study abroad, internships, student health services, career development and co-curricular activities. It even goes towards daily operations like keeping the lights on! The quality of opportunities we have at Mac would not be possible with just tuition and earnings from the endowment. The Annual Fund fills these gaps and supports students at every level of campus life.

The Senior Class Gift is an opportunity for seniors to make their first contribution to the Macalester Annual Fund and also to gain an understanding of how their Mac experiences have been shaped by the support of alumni. It is a way for us to honor faculty, staff and friends who have impacted our experience here and to leave something behind before we cross the stage in May.

Please consider making a $10 contribution to the Senior Class Gift this year as a way to honor our graduation and our time at Macalester. It may not seem like much, but your participation goes a long way towards paving the way for students that come after us.

The easiest way to make a gift is to go online to macalester.edu/giving. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or talk to any of the 2016 Class Agents!

Best, Lillian Hexter, on behalf of the 2016 Class Agents.