Support Bowdoin

Reunion Giving is a special component of the Bowdoin Alumni Fund that seeks increased support from members of reunion classes. Alumni typically contribute more than $7,400,000 to the Alumni Fund, and about a third of that comes from those celebrating reunions. These funds help the College meet the annual costs of supporting academic programs and other essential activities and services.

If Reunion giving is the foundation of Bowdoin’s Alumni Fund, the 25th Reunion is the cornerstone. In past years, the 25th Reunion gift alone has made up 14% of the total raised through the Alumni Fund. This commitment speaks volumes about the vital role of the 25th Reunion in the ongoing life of the College and the special relationship members of the 25th Reunion class have with Bowdoin. As in other reunion years, class members are asked to consider making gifts of up to five times their regular Alumni Fund contributions. Bowdoin is grateful for the generosity, enthusiasm, and class spirit of its 25th Reunion class and for the profound and far-reaching impact your own gift will have on the College.

As part of the Alumni Fund, unrestricted reunion gifts help cover the annual costs of running the College that are not fully covered by tuition, fees, or endowment income. The main areas of support include:

• student aid, which meets the financial needs of nearly 45% of the student body;
• instructional services, for support of the faculty,libraries, academic programs and equipment, and educational technology;
• student services, for athletics, counseling services,musical and theatrical performances, and student organizations; and
• institutional services, to help meet campus care needs and certain administrative costs.

All commitments, including gifts and multi-year pledges, must be received by June 30th of your 25th Reunion year in order to count toward your class reunion gift total.

Everyone in your class will be encouraged to participate in your 25th Reunion gift. Levels of support vary from person to person, but your class volunteers will likely ask for a “stretch” gift from everyone in the class. Some of those gifts will qualify the donors for membership in the
1794 Society.

Many companies will match employee contributions, in some cases doubling or even tripling your gift.  If you are associated with a matching gift company, please obtain a matching gift form from your human resources department and send the completed form to Bowdoin with your gift.

Your 25th Reunion class total will include all Alumni Fund gifts made by June 30th of your Reunion year, and any pledges made by June 30th of your Reunion year that will be payable in the two years following the Reunion year. The 25th Reunion strives to have all classmates participate in the class gift in the way most meaningful to them. Some classmates may wish to celebrate Reunion by making a single gift by June 30th of their Reunion year. However, because your 25th is such a milestone event, please consider whether a multi-year gift may be the way you would like to mark your 25th Reunion and honor what Bowdoin means to you.

In previous 25th Reunions, typically one-third of classmates have chosen to make a leadership gift, and all 25th Reunion classes see an exciting upswing in participation in the Alumni Fund at every level. Over the past 7 years, 25th Reunion classes have raised from over $500,000 to over $1,000,000 from over 60% of classmates for the College in honor of their 25th Reunions.

In addition to the events scheduled for all returning classes,the 25th Reunion will have special activities of particular interest to your class. In recent years, other 25th Reunions have included speakers, dinners, family activities and outings, and even a screening of student films,rescuedandrestoredfrom thearchives.  Festivities begin on Thursday evening and run through Sunday morning.Even if you have not attended reunions in the past, we encourage you to come visit campus with your classmates for this special milestone. Registration
materials will be sent to you in February.