Officials from Ohio University and Miami University are banding together to capitalize on the competition between their schools.
The universities are competing to see which one can encourage more students to donate to this year’s senior gift fund. Both hope that encouraging students to give now will build lifelong donating habits once they become alumni.
“It’s a great idea to compete with Miami; everyone hates Miami,” said Bob Holmes, a senior studying sports management. “I’m pretty poor; so I don’t know how much I could give, but students would definitely donate (because of the competition).”
The senior class gift donation has been a tradition at Miami since the ’70s, said Andrew Bixel, assistant director of annual giving at Miami. This year, he decided to approach OU and turn the campaign into a competition.
“This is all about encouraging students to make a gift, and (the competition) is another incentive,” Bixel said. “It’s something that, when you’re home on break, you can give your friends a hard time about.”
Money from OU students who don’t name a specific recipient will be placed in an unrestricted fund to be used by the office of President Roderick McDavis, said Jessica Storm, assistant director of annual giving at OU. Donations from Miami students will go toward the university’s new Armstrong Student Center unless students specify another area on campus they would prefer to support.
The competition at Miami has been going on since January and will finish later this month.
Those involved with organizing the OU senior gift will focus their efforts on a two-week campaign starting April 11, Storm said. In addition to advertising and encouraging online donations, they will set up tables in Baker University Center to invite students to donate.
Both universities are suggesting a $20.11 donation from seniors in honor of their graduating year. OU students who donate this amount will receive a T-shirt; Miami students who give $200 or more will have their names placed somewhere in the new student center.
Organizers from both schools said the total number of students who have donated and money they have raised is not currently available. As of Fall 2010, OU had 4,800 seniors enrolled and Miami had 3,586.
“I hope (the competition) is just a bonus, and that it will be because of their love of Ohio University that (students) choose to give,” Storm said. “I hope they give not out of their hatred of Miami but their love for OU.”
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