Best 377 Colleges / Princeton Review

Never know what makes an individual contribute or not.

That said, I don't think asking every grad for a $25 contribution is outrageous. It's not like the university is asking for a annual pledge of $500 or $1,000.

Some don't contribute because they never felt a strong connection to their alma mater since they weren't residents.

Even when we were doing well on the hardcourt in the 1980's contributions weren't coming in over the transom.

There are some who think they contribute because they buy basketball tickets and in their mind that is a contribution.

You would be surprised at the number of athletes who went to St. John's on a full ride who never write a check.

The Dept. of Alumni Relations and/or The Development Office has made a tremendous effort to reach out to our alumni base.

Can't blame them for not being pro-active.

Are times tough. Yes, they are but I think the majority can spare $25 a year.

Fordham's alumni rate is 25%, G'Town is about 30%, Holy Cross is around 50%, for example.

No reason why we can't match Fordham's rate, IMO.

The again, things could be worse. DePaul's contribution rate is 6% !!!!!


1985 please check your PM on a totally different topic.




      
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not recall seeing $25 as an option. It should be listed as $25, not other. Who knows maybe that is the issue. People think whether right or wrong that if I cannot contribute $100, I wont contribute anything at all. Here is an idea jersey, how about setting up electronic payment contributions for as little as $5 monthly. Comes right out of the checking account automatically each month, and you really do not feel it as much. I do this with "Save the Children", where I contribute $5 monthly. I am certain that they raise a s-it load of money on this basis. Just a thought!
 
 I have no idea if there is a $25 option or not.

If $25 has to be explicitly stated we are in more trouble than I thought !

We are not talking about splitting the atom.

Your idea about electronic payment is certainly legit.

Perhaps you may consider e-mailing St. John's with your idea, which is agood one.
 
I would be more than happy to do so. Do you have any idea as to whom I may forward this profound idea to???
 
JSJ,

Thanks for posting the link to the St. john's Development Office.

Hopefully some non givers to St. john's will take notice.

More contributions from alums will certainly assist St.John's USNews ranking since five percent (5%) of the USNews ranking is based upon alumni participation by way of contributions.

The more damning factor in St.John's poor showing in the USNews rankings is it low academic retention. Twenty percent of St. john's grade is tied to retention of students.

"The higher the proportion of freshmen who return to campus for sophomore year and eventually graduate, the better a school is apt to be at offering the classes and services that students need to succeed.

This measure has two components: six-year graduation rate (80 percent of the retention score) and freshman retention rate (20 percent). The graduation rate indicates the average proportion of a graduating class who earned a degree in six years or less; we consider freshman classes that started from fall 2002 through fall 2005. Freshman retention indicates the average proportion of freshmen who entered the school in the fall of 2007 through fall 2010 and returned the following fall."

The College Board reports that just 58% of St. John's frosh graduate within six years which is a very poor reflection of the school which Rev. Donald J. Harrington should not be pleased with.  
 
72 is once again, spot on.

I know, as you probably know as well, that alumni from schools like USC and ND go out of their way to help recent grads.

They also pony up: 41% of ND's alumni and 32% of USC's write a check. Only 14% of St. John's alumni make an annual contribution.

Our alumni should do the same (and in many cases, they do).

That said, we need to have more of our grads actively involved with the university particularly as it pertains to giving to the annual campaign and offering internships and job placement.

  
Click to expand...
 

To illustrate how far FH has taken the university under his leadership, alumni contribution was in single digits, perhaps 5% or so when he arrived on campus. 14% is still abysmal, but represents solid growth.

I am often confused by the University going only so far as telling us the mission of St. John's is guided by the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, without ever explaining in literature who St. Vincent de Paul is. I know it's off topic, but if you watched either the RNC, DNC, or both, the closing prayer was made by Cardinal Dolan. Despite praying with a multi-religion group of delegates and politicians, he prayed to the God he believes in - to an audience of Americans across our nation and world. Something is wrong when our university President cannot do the same to our own alumni. Know who you are and why you are.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top