The Class of 2018 Gives Back

By Steve Seepersaud
June 12, 2018

Students making an impact by giving back and having some competitive fun — that’s the idea behind the annual Senior Challenge at Binghamton University. Graduating seniors are encouraged to support the area of campus that made their time at Binghamton special, whether it’s the program they studied or a club they were involved in. Plus, there’s an added incentive through a school-based competition. The school with the highest percentage of graduates making a gift receives a cool trophy and the commensurate bragging rights.

This year, the top prize went to the School of Management, which saw more than 12 percent of graduating seniors give back. A prize for the most-improved school went to the College of Community and Public Affairs, which had an increase of nearly 3 percentage points.

The University announced the results of the competition and presented trophies at the President’s Champagne Send-off, held May 16, on the Peace Quad. Each year, the Student Philanthropy Committee organizes the challenge and educates seniors about the crucial need for gifts to Binghamton, encouraging them to begin their support of the University before graduation. The goal is to provide future students with awesome experiences.

“What’s really great about the Senior Challenge is that it’s all based on participation, not dollar amount,” said Caitlyn Smith, director of The Binghamton Fund. “A gift that’s meaningful to you is meaningful to us, and we are so grateful for all of the generous students who chose to give back this year.”