Our Crowdfunding Groups
Our classmate Arthur Golden will match, dollar for dollar, all contributions made to the Class of '66 gift from now until October 31, 2016—up to $250,000. If this goal is reached, he will personally contribute $250,000 to Rensselaer in honor of our 50th Reunion!
Gifts, of any size, to any fund, whether it is to the Annual Fund or one of the many special purpose restricted funds, are appreciated and will count toward our Reunion class gift. Consider documenting a bequest, making a multi-year commitment for the next five years, or, joining the Annual Society of Patroons to help our class achieve its goals and continue our legacy!
The Class of 1966 is proud to support a universal giving challenge. Choose to support your milestone Reunion year with a gift to Rensselaer. Your contribution toward our milestone Reunion year for the Class of 1966 can support the Annual Fund, scholarships, student clubs, faculty research, athletics, or your choice of a host of other possibilities. A representative of Institute Advancement can help you direct your gift.
Each contribution made by a Class of ’66 member from July 1, 2015 to October 31, 2016 will continue to ensure excellence in education for Rensselaer students. Our class hopes to reach 50% donor participation - or 252 donors - by Reunion & Homecoming Weekend. If you are a loyal supporter of Rensselaer, now is the time to give just a little bit more. If you’ve never given before, don’t let this special milestone pass without paying it forward!
I assure you that the answer is yes! First, one factor looked at by corporations and foundations – plus by magazines ranking colleges and universities – is “participation,” the percent of alumni who give. This serves as the clearest indication of the value alumni place on the education they received.
Second, unrestricted dollars which come in through alumni giving are vital – perhaps more vital than might be apparent. This is because the kind of restricted gifts received during a capital campaign are usually dedicated to a single use over time, and thus Rensselaer cannot “spend” them to support current priorities. The few hundred thousand dollars which we hope to raise in unrestricted donations can mean the difference between the Institute being able to say “yes” or having to say “no” to an innovative faculty research project, or to a financial aid package for a promising student.
In summary, your gift of any size matters and will be deeply appreciated. Please consider making a pledge of $1,000 or more per year for five years (we can count all five years). If that number is not comfortable, give whatever is meaningful to you. Another way of giving is to include RPI in your estate plans; there are experts on campus who would love to help you find a way to make this happen.
For more information regarding giving options, please contact Stephanie Smith.
*All gifts submitted through this page will be designated to the Rensselaer Annual Fund. Donor total includes online and offline donations.
Fifty years have gone by. Doesn’t seem possible; some memories are so vivid that it could have been yesterday. As those fifty years were flashing by, the world changed and we changed, but we were also the force making change.
We were in 8th grade when Sputnik went up and the race for space began in earnest. The USA was losing. Ready to meet the challenge, the best and brightest flocked to quality engineering schools. Many received financial aid.
Who would win the race? Who would land a manned spacecraft on the moon and bring it back With many members of the Rensselaer Class of '66 participating, the USA did it first a decade later.
As good as the memories are, there probably isn’t any member of the class that thinks that we should go back to how it used to be. We played significant roles in the world-wide advancements over the last fifty years, and we want to be sure that RPI alumni in the future have had the same opportunity that we had. Our 21st century challenge is to maintain that leadership by funding institutions where bright students can develop as future scientists and technologists.
With a gift of $2,500 or more, you will become a member of the Annual Patroon Society.
