Vicky Smith
Student Life Editor
@pinkwritinglady
As part of the Class Gift Campaign, the Class of 2015 is raising funds to install Elkay drinking fountains that include bottle filling stations.
According to Cameron.edu, “As each graduating class leaves Cameron University, they are asked to give to CU, leaving behind a class legacy through a class gift.”
Class gifts from previous years are all across campus, such as the clock in the MCC, given by the Class of 2010, and the picnic area for Cameron Park, given by the Class of 2012.
Director of Development Maurissa Buchwald said the students selected to be participants of the Class Gift Campaign 2015 represent various departments on campus.
“I went to department chairs and athletics and Student Government Association and said, ‘Who would be graduating in 2015 that you would nominate to be on that committee?’” Buchwald said. “That’s how I got an initial group to email out to and tried to get input across campus.”
Once the approximately thirty students received emails, they met for breakfast to discuss gift ideas and follow-up plans to execute the chosen idea.
“I had to leave that meeting with which installation we would do,” Buchwald said. “They decided on the water installation.”
According to Buchwald, the students’ class gift compliments the theme of this year’s academic festival, Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities.
“They really liked the fact it tied in with academic festival,” she said. “They are carrying out the initiatives of the festival.”
According to Elkay.com, the drinking fountains that include bottle filling stations are known as EZH2O combo units and “provide a rapid fill of refreshing drinking water to quench thirst and minimize plastic bottle waste in the environment.”
Buchwald said the fountains will be branded with “Class of 2015,” giving recognition to the class’s contribution to Cameron.
“[The campaign committee has] the desire to leave their stamp on Cameron,” she said, “and they want to help lead the way with other classmates to make that happen.”
The committee will raise funds for the fountains until next fall. Buchwald said they have informed members of the community and fellow Aggies, as well as participated in email marketing.
In conjunction with donating money to the Class Gift Campaign, Buchwald said students can also become members of the Cameron Alumni Association.
“What we’ve tried to do with the class campaign annually is provide really a dual opportunity for students so that they could join the alumni association and give back to the university in a way that leaves a lasting legacy for the class of their graduating year,” Buchwald said. “The benefit is really two-fold: They got to join the alumni association, and they got to give to the campaign for only $35.
“And that $15 got them their membership to the Alumni Association, and $20 towards the class campaign.”
Buchwald said the Alumni Association is also a way for students to stay connected to the university.
“We want to teach our students to remain involved in Cameron,” she said. “This is their university. Then, the giving part of the $35 is almost a little bit of an opportunity to just go, ‘I want to give back. I just received a great quality education; I had a great experience here at Cameron.’”
According to Buchwald, many charitable donors of the university are alumni.
“That’s what this is an opportunity to do for class campaign,” she said. “How do you leave your legacy, how do you stay connected to your university, and then how do we get your heart still remained tied to Cameron?”
Anyone who would like to give to the Class Gift Campaign 2015 can contact Maurissa Buchwald by calling 580-581-2612.