Thanks, Lucy

Students learn about Skidmore philanthropy

Cards. Cupcakes. Photos. Wrist bands. Just a few of the ways Skidmore students celebrated alumni and other donors on National Student Philanthropy Day. Tables and posters around campus encouraged students to remember and thank College donors. Skidmore President Philip Glotzbach and Matthew Walsh ’13, president of the Student Government Association, helped build momentum days before the event, sending campus-wide e-mails encouraging students to participate.

More than 100 colleges and universities held similar events for National Student Philanthropy Day, organized by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education to raise awareness about the effect of donor generosity on the daily lives of students. Skidmore’s celebration featured green- and yellow-iced cupcakes, “thankslucy” wrist bands, photos with a life-size cardboard cutout of College founder Lucy Skidmore Scribner and with the Thoroughbred mascot Skids Scribner, and tweets using #ThanksLucy.

A few excerpts from student thank-you notes:

• “I am writing to express my deep appreciation for your kindness and generosity as a supporter of Skidmore College. You have helped many students realize their dreams here at Skidmore.” —Mengqiong Yu ’15 (Hungzhou, China)

• “I am proud to attend Skidmore because I know it produces wonderfully generous people like you. I hope one day to be able to give back too. Thank you for your kindness.” —Lily Alverson ’13 (McLean, VA)

• “I am incredibly grateful for the contributions that you have made to an institution that has done so much good for me and for the rest of the student body, past, present, and future. You set a wonderful example for other alumni. Thank you.” —Sam Harris ’15 (Scarsdale, NY)

A few facts from campus posters:

• The Filene-Ladd family’s history at Skidmore began with Helen Filene Ladd ’22 and extended through four generations. The family has supported Filene Music Scholarships, Filene Hall, Ladd Concert Hall in the Arthur Zankel Music Center, annual-fund scholarships, and other initiatives. Bill Ladd ’83 (Helen’s grandson) serves on the Skidmore College Board of Trustees.

• Williamson Sports Center, dedicated in 2010, was named for Susan Kettering Williamson '59, the College’s longest-serving trustee and a longtime advocate for athletics at Skidmore.

• 17 Skidmore professors hold endowed faculty chairs established through major gifts from Skidmore donors.

• 77 students and 32 professors collaborated on 46 research projects last summer, many of them funded by individual and foundation gifts.

• Skidmore’s campus sits on 800-plus acres purchased for the College in 1960 by J. Erik Jonsson, an RPI graduate, Texas Instruments executive, and parent of Margaret ’60.      

• All students benefit from gifts to the College: without the generosity of donors, tuition would increase nearly 22 percent (that’s over $12,000)!

• Named places and programs—Zankel Music Center, Ladd Hall, Tisch Learning Center, Thomas Way, the Dayton Directorship of the Tang Museum, the Quadracci Chair in Social Responsibility, Dunkerley Dialogues, Dana Science Center, the Class of ’67 Lobby in Palamountain Hall, Eissner Admissions Center, Greenberg Child Care Center, Jonsson Tower, Starbuck Center, Wiecking Hall, and scores of others—reflect the many people who have cared about Skidmore and wanted to help its students.

More thank-yous and philanthropy facts are here.

By the end of the day, more than 500 thank-you cards were signed and will be delivered to donors. Plans are already under way for next year’s National Student Philanthropy Day.

Photos by Nghia Lu '14, Jarred Green '15 and Lauren Bosche '15.

Posted On: March 1, 2013