Creating a Class Gift Program

By Angie Cooper
St. Mary’s Catholic Center
Texas A&M University

Aggie Catholics. Come Together.  Create Legacy.

For five years now, the graduating seniors at St. Mary’s Catholic Center have decided that even though they will be leaving Texas A&M, they would like to continue to serve the Aggie Catholic family and leave a legacy. The Class Gift Program allows them to do just that. The money raised through the Class Gift is deposited into an endowment fund. Interest and income from this fund provides a perpetual stream of revenue that will support Catholic Campus Ministry at Texas A&M University for future generations of Aggies. In essence, these young graduates have come together to create the legacy they set out to establish. 

While the Class Gift Program supports the ministry financially, it also fosters and accrues class loyalty.  It helps our ministry stay in contact with former students and keeps them updated on events and news at St. Mary’s Catholic Center. Plus, once these former students have fulfilled their pledge to the Class Gift, they have developed a natural habit of giving to the ministry, which is likely to continue through our monthly electronic giving program – the Living Faith Society.

Steps to Establishing the Program

1. The key to establishing a successful class gift program is enlisting student leadership in the form of Senior Class Representatives. To help identify possible class representatives for the next graduating class gift, one can request nominations from staff, campus ministers and pastoral team members. This group should reflect five to ten percent of the number of graduating seniors. An outgoing personality, cultural diversity and representation of different student organizations and social networks are highly encouraged. 

2. After the Senior Class Representatives have been recruited, arrange for an informational training meeting. Explain why your organization needs philanthropic support and ask each of the representatives to strive for 100 percent participation among their contacts; hence, all support the Senior Class Gift. Also, communicate and achieve full agreement upon your expectations for each Class Representative. One expectation is that each Class Representative lead by example and makes a pledge to the Class Gift.

At St. Mary’s, we ask seniors to pledge their class year ($20.10 each month), which is electronically collected from a checking account or credit card, for 50 months—roughly $1,000. In training, we teach Class Representatives how to handle “concerns” in their discussions. One common concern shared by seniors is whether they will have a job and be able to afford pledge payments.  To address this concern, we assure them that while we are asking for a commitment, we will be flexible with start dates and will check with them before we begin debiting electronic accounts. After all, the Class Representatives are there to advocate and encourage fellow classmates to contribute to the Senior Class Gift.

3. Next, arrange the plan of action.  We create a master list of all seniors and their contact information, and then divide this list among Class Representatives.  The Representatives then invite assigned peers to join them in supporting the Senior Class Gift. Venues for solicitation include face-to-face appointments, phone calls, small and informal gatherings of seniors, Facebook messages and announcements after Mass. 

Senior Class Representatives keep in contact with their assigned seniors throughout the year, answering any questions and keeping them excited about the idea of giving back to a place that has given so much. The Representatives also stay in close contact with the staff advisor of the Senior Class Gift Program and meet as a group once or twice a month. Updates on the progression to the goal, upcoming Senior Class social/events and individual updates from the representatives are discussed at these meetings.

An incentive offered to seniors, in addition to the satisfaction of supporting St. Mary’s Catholic Center, includes an invitation to the Senior Last Supper.  This special dinner is held at an upscale restaurant for all members of the current Senior Class Gift in appreciation for their contribution to the ministry. At the dinner, the Class Representatives announce the amount raised for the Senior Class Gift and present the priests with the ceremonial check. Also, seniors supporting the Class Gift are rewarded with a personalized brick in the church walkway with their name and class year. 

Since 2005, nearly $500,000 has been pledged to the Aggie Catholic Foundation endowment through our Class Gift Program, with each class year becoming more engaged than the previous.  It is truly a blessing to have so much support through these contributions and to know that as these benefactors grow in their means to give, St. Mary’s will be on their minds.

Angie is the proudest member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 2006. She is the Living Faith Coordinator at St. Mary’s Catholic Center at Texas A&M University and loves working with all the wonderful supporters of the Catholic student community at Texas A&M University.