Gratitude Gala
Students gather to express appreciation for scholarship support
3:20 p.m., March 18, 2015--More than 400 scholarship recipients braved dreary weather — and a delayed opening — to thank the donors who helped to make their University of Delaware education possible at the fifth annual Gratitude Gala on March 4.
A day-long event held in Trabant University Center, the Gratitude Gala provided an opportunity for UD students to craft handwritten thank you notes to the alumni, friends, parents, faculty and staff who have philanthropically supported the University.
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"It's important to connect our donors with the students they are directly impacting. They can learn about a recipient's goals and experiences in these letters, and their connection with the University comes alive,” said Nichole Wozniak, assistant director of donor relations and event organizer. "Our students are so grateful, and the gala is an opportunity for them to take a few minutes out of their busy schedules to thank their supporters.”
"Sometimes it's all about perspective," said varsity swimmer Tim West, a senior Honors Program student majoring in biomedical engineering. "I took 45 minutes out of my day, but who knows how many hours my donor worked to acquire the funds to make a donation, to be able to give to us. This is the least we can do."
Bustling with music, refreshments and Blue Hen pride, the gala was an opportunity for students to not just say thank you, but to learn more about the history of their scholarship and its affiliated donors.
“I love coming here,” said peer mentor and Ag Ambassador Monique Robinson, a member of the Class of 2016 in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and recipient of the Dr. B. V. Rao Scholarship, the Dr. George G. Rosenberger Memorial Scholarship and the George M. Worrilow Scholarship. “It's important to me to attend because these scholarships are the reason I'm at UD. I’ve been able to accomplish so much here, and [donor] support makes it all possible.”
Sponsored by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, the Gratitude Gala is an annual event dedicated to celebrating generous donors and advancing the mission of philanthropy and stewardship at UD.
‘Pay it forward’
“Paying it forward” was a common theme among attendees, many of whom wrote about their desire to follow in their donors’ footsteps by one day establishing scholarships of their own.
In reality, all students benefit from donor funds. "Their college experience has been, in part, subsidized by generous donors who have been making gifts to the University for years,” said Lauren Kirchhausen, assistant director of student philanthropy. “For graduating seniors, it's important to think about how they want to give back and establish a legacy for the next generation of Blue Hens."
The Senior Class Gift Council attended the Gratitude Gala, encouraging seniors to make a gift to the University that has given much to them.
During the event, 17 Class of 2015 donors contributed to the effort, donating $356 to UD.
"We're trying to get the whole community at Delaware involved in paying it forward to the University," said Student Alumni Ambassador and Senior Class Gift Council representative Emily Nelson, a senior in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. "Our class is leaving campus after this semester, and the class gift is a way of acknowledging the fact that we're leaving. But we will always be Blue Hens."
To learn more about the Senior Class Gift campaign or to make a gift, visit this website.
Photos by Wenbo Fan