Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

The Value of the Act of Giving

Ingrained in the educational philosophy, moral foundation and Jesuit identity of Georgetown University is the idea of giving.

In 1788, John Carroll wrote in a letter to a fellow Jesuit: “We shall begin the building of our Academy this summer … on one of the loveliest situations that imagination can frame. … Do not forget to give and procure assistance.”

Thus, even before the very first student set foot on the Hilltop, Georgetown had been built on a foundation of philanthropy. Today, in all aspects of our lives on our campus, Hoyas constantly give both their time and energy to other Hoyas.

This notion of a giving community does not end at graduation. Every student at Georgetown benefits from alumni philanthropy. From the John Carroll statue in front of Healy to Regents Hall, from the Healey Family Student Center to the scholarships that make the Hilltop more affordable to so many, Georgetown as a place and as an experience is possible only through the generosity of its graduates.

In August 2011, we came to the Hilltop to begin our college experience, two freshmen on the sixth floor of Darnall Hall. We spent our time in class, running Model UN conferences, participating in Center for Social Justice activities, planning events for fellow Hoyas with residence hall councils, writing and editing for Georgetown’s Journal of International Affairs and working on job applications for our future. Little did we know that three years later, philanthropy would draw us back together when we both joined the Class of 2015 Fund as an embodiment of our beliefs in supporting Georgetown’s future students and initiatives.

The Class of 2015 Fund, a student-run initiative, serves as one of the first stepping stones to the philanthropic tradition that extends beyond the Healy Gates and across generations. By creating an avenue for seniors to donate to virtually everything on campus, from academic departments and resource centers to student groups and scholarships, the Class Fund helps seniors with different backgrounds and interests highlight the aspects of Georgetown that matter most to them — those that have shaped their experiences on the Hilltop.

By making a contribution to the fund, each senior leaves his mark and legacy on Georgetown. The Class Fund encourages seniors to specify the recipient of their gifts because this is the most direct way to help support and sustain the things that have made the Hilltop a transformative place for them. Since every dollar of each gift goes directly to the designated recipient, seniors have a chance to maximize the impact of their philanthropic act when they give through the Class Fund.

As of mid-February, almost a third of the Class of 2015 has made a gift to Georgetown, amounting to a total of 568 gifts, 48 percent of which went to specific academic departments, varsity and club sports teams, student life initiatives and Student Activities Commission, the Center for Social Justice, performing arts, and Campus Ministry groups. The Class of 2015 Fund is on track to have a similar participation rate as in the past three years, but we can do better by building upon and exceeding these benchmarks.

Ideally, we would set a new record of participation to demonstrate our class’s passion for the Georgetown community.

Last week, the Class Fund started the Regents Challenge, an initiative supported by Georgetown’s Board of Regents, composed of advisors and leading philanthropic contributors to the university. For every set level of participation achieved through the seniors’ collective effort, the Board of Regents will donate additional money on behalf of the senior class — up to a maximum of $75,000 if the class hits 1,300 donors. If that maximum amount is unlocked, the Board of Regents’ generosity and the seniors’ collective investment in Georgetown’s future will help fund three scholarships for future Hoyas. The Class of 2014 came just shy of that magic number, leaving it to the Class of 2015 to reach that milestone.

Ultimately, what matters is not the amount of money raised, but the joint act of philanthropy that connects students to the ethos of giving.

What matters is that Hoyas rise to meet the challenge laid down by those who have come before them. What matters is that students start to pay it forward, to add to the philanthropic bedrock upon which this university continues to thrive.

After all, in the end, it’s the act of giving that counts, not the dollar amount.

David Lizza is a senior in the College and Lucas Chan is a senior in the School of Foreign Service. Both are seniors and the Stewardship and Impact co-chairs of the Class of 2015 Fund.

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