<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><item href="/news/2025/0331-spicing-up-giving-nigel-smith-and-kath-gross-inspire-ripple-effect.php" dsn="blogs"><featured/><feature_title>Featured News</feature_title><title>Spicing up giving: Nigel Smith ’19 and Kath Gross P’16 inspire a ripple effect of generosity</title><author>Jodi Frank</author><author_email>info@skidmore.edu</author_email><pubDate>04/01/2025 01:42:40 PM</pubDate><display>display</display><description>Both alumni believe in giving back — and now they’re rallying the next generation of philanthropy at Skidmore through mentorship, generosity, and even a hot “wing” challenge.</description><category>Alumni Stories</category><image_listing><img src="/news/2025/images/0331-spicing-up-giving-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Nigel Smith ’19 holds a &#34;wing&#34; up to his mouth during the &#34;Hot Ones&#34; challenge, Austin Somers ’25 can be seen doing the same to the left"/></image_listing><image><img src="/news/2025/images/0331-spicing-up-giving-hero.jpg" alt="Nigel Smith ’19 holds a &#34;wing&#34; up to his mouth during the &#34;Hot Ones&#34; challenge, Austin Somers ’25 can be seen doing the same to the left"/></image><caption>Nigel Smith '19 challenged the Class of 2025 to participate in Senior Gift efforts during an event styled after the “Hot Ones” TV show with Alumni Board Student Representative Austin Somers ’25.</caption></item>