3L Class Gift Program

Class of 2012

Class of: 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003

The 3L Class Gift Program provides an opportunity for each graduating class to have an impact on the future of USC Law. Your pledge and gift will act a voice for your class and will shape the future of the programs or student organizations that enriched your life as a student.

Common Questions:

• Why does participation in the 3L Class Gift Program matter?
• How does alumni participation benefit me?
• How will my gift make a financial difference to the school?
• Where should I direct my gift?
• Doesn’t tuition cover the needs of the school?
• How much should I give?
• Does my gift towards my pledge count for the Law Firm Challenge?

Why does participation in the 3L Class Gift Program matter?

Your participation in the 3L Class Gift Program matters because it shows the strength of support of the graduating class for USC Law. After graduation, your pledge payments will enhance the programs that were significant to you as a student. Plus, your annual payments will impact USC Law’s overall alumni participation rate—one of the primary ways alumni satisfaction and support at universities are evaluated. By making a pledge to the 3L Class Gift Program, you are committing to make a difference for your law school after you graduate.

How does alumni participation benefit me?

When you fulfill your pledge with annual gifts to USC Law you increase the value of your law degree by raising our alumni participation rate. "Participation" is the percentage of USC Law alumni who make a cash gift of any amount to the law school each year. Participation is not just a statistic—it is one of the primary ways in which alumni support is measured. Our participation rate is viewed as a vote of alumni satisfaction and is important to the reputation of the school. As an alumnus, you also benefit as USC Law continues to excel, provides an outstanding legal education and attracts the best and brightest students. Your gift demonstrates the strength and loyalty of USC Law alumni.

How will my gift make a financial difference to the school?

Your pledge payments will not only improve our alumni participation rate but will also result in more financial support for USC Law. Many law firms and corporations offer matching gift programs which will multiply the impact your gift can have.

Where should I direct my gift?

Give to what matters most to you. Your pledge and fulfillment payments will be your voice for your class and will shape the future of the programs or student organizations that enriched your life as a student. Here are some designation ideas:

Class Scholarship, Law Library, Hale Moot Court Honors Program, Southern California Law Review, Dean’s Discretionary Fund

Or a student organization that matters to you.

Undesignated gifts will be credited to the Dean's Discretionary Fund.

Doesn’t tuition cover the needs of the school?

Tuition covers only two-thirds of the actual cost of attending USC Law. The other third is a “hidden subsidy” which comes mainly from alumni philanthropy. It is alumni giving that provides for programs and needs which further enriches a student’s experience. Your gift to the 3L Class Gift will not only enable future students to attend USC Law but will ensure their experience continues to be as meaningful as yours.

How much should I give?

Since participation each year is the ultimate goal, all gifts matter. It's the payments on your pledge that count towards participation, so pledges of a size that can be honored with annual payments are most appreciated.

Does my gift towards my pledge count for the Law Firm Challenge?

Yes, if the firm for which you work when you make a payment is participating in the Law Firm Challenge, your gift will not only be applied to your 3L pledge but will also count towards your firm’s overall alumni participation in the Law Firm Challenge. If you would like to involve your firm in the Law Firm Challenge please contact Pasha Hawthorne, Associate Director, at (213)743-1725 or phawthorne@law.usc.edu.

Thank you for participating!

USC Law owes a great deal to the dedicated graduates and students who make the Class Gift Program so successful. To all of our alumni who have helped lay the foundation of USC Law, and to all those who are shaping its future, thank you for your loyal support!

If you are interested in contributing to the Class Gift or in making your participation count for this fiscal year, please contact Lorri Grubaugh at lgrubaugh@law.usc.edu, 213-743-1713, or make a gift online.