By Sheryl Smee

PLNU Alumni Director

"So that percentage is important? I don't think our alums know that. I didn't know that."
 
One of our 1992 graduates was visiting the campus and we were discussing the PLNU annual alumni giving rate. He opened the discussion saying, "someday I plan to give a good gift to the university, but I'm not in that position yet."
 
"Actually what we need is alums giving every year, regardless of gift size," I said. "One of the first questions foundations and corporations ask is 'What's your alumni giving rate?' If alums believe PLNU is worth supporting, then foundations and corporations will consider large gifts. But if our alums don't support the university, then they're seldom interested."
 
This year, U.S. News & World Report listed PLNU as a top tier western regional school in their Best Colleges 2004, citing 11 variables for each school. The only indicator they use for alumni satisfaction is the annual giving rate. Ours was 10.85 percent for fiscal year 2002/2003. (Gratefully, the rate for 2003/2004 is up to 13 percent.)
 
We need to increase this percentage dramatically. Each alum who gives yearly increases the rate. It's a question of involvement. And an alum's $10 gift may lead to a $250,000 gift from a foundation.

We have over 30,000 alumni. If each alum gave $10 a year, we'd have $300,000 for scholarships, academic and ministry programs, and operations. If each alum gave $10 a month, we could provide over $3 million a year to help students. Think what we could accomplish!

Yesterday, we received a gift for $10 and a gift for $1,000 from two alumni. Each of these individuals believes in Christian higher education and Point Loma Nazarene University. And they believed enough to take action. 

You can contribute online at www.ptloma.edu/giving.
 
* This article first appeared in Viewpoint magazine, Winter 2004.