3L Class Gift Update: 104 pledges and counting
Third-year students have just a few more days left to make a pledge supporting the 3L Class Gift Campaign.
As of April 22, 104 of 215 students have pledged gifts totaling approximately $40,000, pushing the participation rate to 48.4 percent. If 12 more pledges are received, this year’s class gift campaign will set a new record for class participation.
“The response so far has been amazing, and the 3L Class Gift Committee is excited to see so many of our classmates support their favorite Law School programs,” said campaign co-chair Nina Sacks. “Although we’re just a few pledges shy of setting a new record, our ultimate goal is 100 percent participation.”
Fifty-three percent of the Class of 2004 participated in the campaign last spring, pledging a total of $20,662 over three years. In 2003, 43 percent of third-year students pledged $28,629.
Introduced two years ago, the 3L Class Gift — part of the USC Law Annual Fund — is an opportunity for soon-to-be grads to commemorate their time at USC Law by supporting a variety of programs. Students may give an unrestricted gift or designate their contribution to any number of programs, including:
- Class of 2005 Scholarship Fund
- Public Interest Law Foundation
- Library and Information Technology Center Fund
Other students have chosen to direct their gifts to specific student organizations, such as the Black Law Students Association or La Raza. In addition, pledges may be made in honor of a family member, friend or a USC Law faculty/staff member. One student, in fact, made a gift in honor of the late USC Law Professor Emeritus Carl M. Franklin and his wife, Carolyn, noting on the pledge form that the gift “is in their honor as they donated the scholarship I received.”
The student’s gesture is an inspiring example, says Associate Director of Development Jeff LaValley. “There is no greater evidence of continuing the tradition of giving back — from one generation to the next,” he says. "We are grateful to the members of the Class of 2005 who have pledged their support. Their generosity, joined with more than 1,200 alumni and friends, allows USC Law to continue to provide a first-rate legal education to deserving students."
As part of the USC Law Annual Fund, the 3L Class Gift campaign provides support for the annual operating costs of USC Law. Law School alumni and friends contribute each year to the fund, which raised nearly $500,000 in 2004. Class gift pledges are fulfilled over a three-year period, beginning in January 2006. Participation at any level is most appreciated, adds Sacks.
Students who make a pledge to the 3L Class Gift by Tuesday, April 26 (the last day of classes), will be included in the Honor Roll of Donors, to be distributed at the 3L Class Brunch on Commencement Day, May 15.
Pledges may be made at the 3L Class Gift table by the mini café on April 25 and April 26. Beginning April 27, pledge forms may be completed and delivered to the Development and Graduate Relations Office in Room 100. Another option is making a pledge online.
