CALLING ALL SENIORS!!! It’s the middle of April and the time for giving has finally arrived.

So what is Senior Gift anyway?

If you haven’t heard by now, Senior Gift is a great way to show your appreciation for everything that Amherst College as provided for you over the four years you have been here. Officially, Senior Gift is part of the Annual Fund, which provides vital support to the College’s annual operating budget. As the largest source of unrestricted giving received by the College, the Annual Fund is a vital component of the budget and helps ensure that Amherst can continue to operate and to provide the highest caliber education possible for its students.

Thus, being a Gifter helps Amherst pay for many of the programs that make it the great place it is. Not only do gifts to the Annual Fund address Amherst’s most current pressing needs, but they also directly support Lives of Consequence — giving the College broader access to the best students, enhancing teaching for today’s world and extending the Amherst learning experience far beyond the classroom. Each gift to the Annual Fund has the immediate buying power of a gift twenty times its size to the endowment.

Why should I be a Gifter?

The truth is that each individual’s pledge, regardless of the amount, means a great deal. A high participation rate sends a message to Biddy that we care about Amherst so much that we would be willing to give from our (meager) income just to show our support. The Class of 2010 reached 90.7 percent participation. It’s time we break that record.