The Power of the Senior Class Gift
Students in the College are already making an impact every day. Whether you’re an athlete or an artist, a researcher or a tutor, the founder of a small business or the leader of an RSO… you have already made your mark at UChicago with your ideas, through your friendships, by sustaining old traditions and launching new ones, and in all the ways that you have engaged with and shaped our College community. The legacy of our class is a culmination of the contributions we have each made during our time in the College, and the Senior Class Gift is our opportunity to make a lasting impact at UChicago—together.
The Senior Class Gift is about more than naming a bench on the Quad or putting a plaque on a building. It is about the collective power of every gift to any area of the University. Whether you’re running the Comer 5k, giving to your RSO, supporting your athletic team, or paying it forward for a scholarship, internship, or research experience, your contribution is part of the legacy we leave behind as a class—and a chance to shape the UChicago community for generations to come.
The Campaign for the Senior Class Gift
Fourth-year members of Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) lead the campus-wide campaign for the Senior Class Gift. Each year, the Senior Class Gift Committee works to envision, design, and implement a comprehensive campaign to build awareness, cultivate a sense of community among classmates, and elevate the legacy and impact of the senior class through philanthropy. We champion the College, the University, and the legacy of our class.
What We Do
Cultivate a culture of engagement
We serve as leaders and educators for our peers about the power of giving back through volunteerism, civic engagement, and philanthropy.
Mobilize our community for impact
We host events that engage every student in the College and showcase the many ways that they can make an impact to support fellow students and generations of Maroons to come.
Shape the future of philanthropy
We lead student fundraising campaigns to secure support for the programs and initiatives that make the College so distinctive.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Where does my gift go? Does UChicago take a “cut” of my donation?
Every dollar goes directly to the area you choose. The Senior Class Gift is not an endowment fund; the University will not withhold or reallocate any portion of your gift. Your gift will make an impact, exactly where you want it to, right away.
Why should I give my money to the University when I already pay tuition?
Tuition supports essential functions of the University. Your gift is different because you get to choose exactly where it goes. This is your opportunity to support the communities and programs that have shaped your experience—and ensure that future students can benefit, too.
Who can join STAT to support the Senior Class Gift?
Fourth-year STAT members are eligible to serve as leaders of the Senior Class Gift campaign. STAT is open to all College students, and all members will shape a variety of key initiatives—including and beyond the Senior Class Gift—throughout the year.
Why is the Senior Class Gift important?
The Senior Class Gift is our collective opportunity to give back and shape a future for the next generation of Maroons. This is our legacy, and the way that we can champion the lasting impact that we, the Class of 2026, have had for the University of Chicago.