September 2004

Class of 2005 Votes on Senior Class Gift

More than 200 seniors came out to Chef Geoff’s restaurant on New Mexico Avenue for the Class of 2005's Senior Class Kickoff, September 8. The lively group celebrated its decision to contribute to a student lounge in the new Katzen Arts Center, which will open in 2005, and to support an endowment at the university library.

"I was pleased to see the Class of 2005 continue the tradition of launching the senior gift effort during the opening week of classes with such a well-attended celebration,” says Scott VanDeusen, director of annual giving at AU. “The seniors were really enthusiastic when we asked them to vote on the gift options and they set a terrific tone for the effort that we look forward to carrying through the school year."

It has become a tradition at AU for the senior class to fund-raise for a gift they can leave behind as a legacy to their graduating class. The Class of 2004 raised more than $60,000 and designated its gift toward renovations to the Letts-Anderson quad and $10,000 to the Eagle Endowment for Public and Community Service, which provides advising and funding to students who exemplify leadership and service. The Class of 2003 raised more than $42,000 and purchased two “Party Animal” sculptures and also made a $10,000 gift to the Eagle Endowment.

"…raising money for the new Katzen Arts Center Student Lounge leaves a permanent mark, a legacy of all the great things that the Class of 2005 has done,” agrees this year’s Student Confederation President, Polson Kanneth, a senior in the School of Communication. “Our time here has been precious, and having the opportunity to give future generations a better library, a new place to relax, and most importantly a better AU community is the ultimate legacy," he adds.

Fellow senior and Class of 2005 President, Chris Salazar, said he hopes the momentum from the kickoff will continue. “The senior class gift kickoff was amazing and the energy in the room was electrifying. It's now our job to get that energy and channel it into support for the class gift. The class gift is our permanent mark on the university, and we intend to leave quite a mark.”

For more information about the Class of 2005’s Senior Class Gift, please contact Laura Swanstrom Reece, CAS/MA '02, assistant director of Alumni Programs for Students & Young Alumni, at 202-885-5921. To make a gift, visit: http://alumni.american.edu/seniorclassgift.

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