The annual program raises awareness among students that donors help cover many expenses that come with studying at Elon University.
Underneath, students wrote responses that were as varied as they were heartfelt. Some talked about studying abroad, while others mentioned the scholarships they receive. A few messages noted involvement in Fellows programs or appreciation of cultural offerings.
Reminding the student body of the opportunities made available because of donors is exactly what organizers of the sixth annual “Elon …. Pass It On!” campaign hoped to accomplish. Sponsored by the Student Alumni Council, the April 4 event inside the main entrance to the student center saw a steady stream of participation.
“It’s important to thank donors because they give so much,” said SAC President Mimi Merliss, a sophomore marketing major from Lincoln, Neb. “And it’s important to get students involved now and cultivate their love of Elon so that when we become alumni we can remember what made us who we are, and then give back.”
In addition to the message board, yard signs leading up to the Moseley front entrance depicted features of campus that could be affected without the university’s current level of donor support.
Messages reminded students that without gifts, there would be 600 fewer scholarships, Campus Recreation would possibly charge a fee, wireless Internet access wouldn’t necessarily be available across campus, and the football team may still have been playing at a local high school stadium.
“A lot of times students don’t realize all our donors do to help us,” said Rachael Hart, the university’s coordinator of annual giving. “They walk around campus, see how gorgeous it is, and assume that’s just the way it should be, but that’s only possible because of donors.”
“A lot of my friends have now been abroad,” Walsh said. “And I don’t know that I would have done this if I hadn’t come to Elon.”