Members of the Young Alumni for Duke initiative are invited to learn about philanthropy’s role at Duke and help build philanthropic support. Formerly known as the Young Alumni Peer Networks, this dedicated group of volunteers seeks to engage Duke’s last four graduating classes across the globe in giving to the Duke Annual Fund.
Gifts to Duke’s 16 Annual Funds allow deans and directors to say “yes” to innovative programs, faculty research projects, and hands-on learning opportunities. These funds help pay for financial aid awards, student research projects, summer internship stipends, exhibitions at the Nasher, repairs in the Chapel, and so much more.
What?
Volunteers choose from the following ways to participate and are rewarded with frequent, awesome prizes:
- Personally reach out to your 1-4 year out friends about giving to Duke by sharing Duke Annual Fund email templates and/or by crafting your own emails, texts, and calls.
- Lend your name to the cause by authoring a solicitation email that the Duke Annual Fund can send to a large group on your behalf.
- Host a small event in your area to share why you give to Duke and provide information for those interested making a donation too.
- Other – Share your own ideas for increasing philanthropic support of Duke!
Why?
Young alumni philanthropy at Duke is not about big dollar amounts. Rather, it’s about increasing the number of alumni donors from the classes of 2016-2019.
- Alumni giving participation rates are 1 of the 7 factors considered by U.S. News & World Report when ranking colleges and universities.
- Consistent giving by alumni (even at modest levels) immediately following graduation increases the likelihood that they will become major donors later in life.
- Alumni giving participation inspires major donors, corporations, and foundations to increase their own support because they want to invest in a successful institution that others believe in.
Questions?
Contact Grace West, Director of Next Generation Philanthropy, at grace.west@duke.edu or 919-681-0433
