Every Fordham student knows about “Composition and Rhetoric” or “Faith and Critical Reasoning.” Now, like an entry level course in philanthropy, the Fordham Fund introduces the 20|20 Young Alumni Challenge, a 20-day campaign that’s akin to a “Giving 101” course.
The campaign brings together 20 young alumni who have committed to giving $10,000, provided the student body does the same. In a first for Fordham, young alumni are challenging current students. The total raised could top $20,000.
It’s no secret that many students might bristle at the suggestion of giving to the University before they’ve even finished paying off their own tuition. But the primary point of the campaign is to introduce students to the culture of philanthropy.
Fashioned after an Indiegogo or Kickstarter campaign, the 20-day challenge will have a limited run, beginning on April 10 and ending at midnight on April 30. The crowd funding aspect should foster a friendly Ram Rivalry, pitting young Rams against much younger Rams.
Fresh off closing the $540 million Excelsior | Ever Upward Campaign, Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham, introduced the 20|20 Challenge to the Young Alumni President’s Club at their annual reception.
“The success of this campaign hinges upon your enthusiastic and generous participation,” he said.
Young alumnus Chris Adams, GSB ‘04, said that students and young alumni might give back out of a sense of obligation.
“Obligation is kind of a weird word to use, since is has a little bit of a connotation,” said Adams. “Fordham is on all our resumes, but it goes much deeper than that. The experiences and the life lessons that we learned are the reason we give back—and, perhaps, why we feel obligated.”
Contact: Tom Stoelker
(212) 636-7576
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