With commencement just a few short weeks away, soon-to-be Keene State College graduates are preparing for their next step.
For some, this next step is figuring out how to give back to KSC.
Laura Romaniello / Art Director
When seniors picked up their caps, gowns and hoods at the Commencement Fair on March 28 and 29, they were introduced to the idea of the senior class gift.
This year, money donated to the class gift is not going to a new bench or tree on campus.
Instead, students can choose a particular area of campus that made an impact on their experience to receive their money.
Every student will encounter different paths during their time at KSC.
By offering future alumni a choice about where they would like to see their money go, hopefully, more students will consider donating to the college.
As a KSC student, it is important for you to give back to an institution which has given you so much.
Whether you attended KSC for all four years of your college education or transferred in at a later date, your time spent in Keene has shaped the person you are today.
Graduates should think of giving back to the college as a way of repaying KSC for all it has done for them.
Donating should not feel forced, rather, it should feel like a give and take situation.
KSC gives students dozens of opportunities and new experiences to help them forge ahead on their post-graduation endeavors.
By giving back to KSC, students are thanking the college for all it has given them during their time at the institution.
Giving back to the college does not mean that students are expected to give money right away.
Grace Pecci, Copy Editor for The Equinox, wrote an article about the importance of donating back to the college after graduation.
‘Giving back to your alma mater’ can be found on page A2 in the News section of this week’s paper.
In this article, Pecci touches upon the point of giving back to the school in any way that you can, even if it does not involve giving money to the school.
Alumni can give back to KSC by attending events and volunteering.
It is a lot for some students to give money out of their own pockets right away, especially if they are graduating with student loans or debt to pay off.
But there is more these graduates can give to the school than their money.
For example, when KSC attends various college fairs, alumni can table at these events and try to recruit future Owls.
This is just one way to show KSC pride after you walk across the Commencement stage.
By giving back to KSC after graduating, you are also influencing the lives of future graduates.
Your donation, whether it be of your time or money, will impact the experiences of the faculty and students for years to come.
Giving back to the school is a way to say thank you for all the opportunities you had because of the time you spent at KSC.
Now that graduating seniors have the option to choose an area of campus to assist, they can be sure that their money is going to a section of the campus that impacted them the most.
Whether you choose to give back to a specific department or organization through a donation or to volunteer their time and services at an event, it is important to give back to a place that has provided you with so much.
