no

I give annually to my school - directly to the architecture school, not to the general alumni fund.

Typically I give 2x a year. But this year, here at the very end when I ususally write a check before tax time, I've been hit with some unexpected bills (medical, plumber) and so sadly will not be a donating alum right now. Maybe next summer I can do it again. Sigh.

liberty bell: It's good to hear that you contribute when you can. Does your architecture school have a formal campaign, or are donations accepted at random?

I was giving to the alumni association, the arch school caught wind of it somehow and the dean sent me a letter saying "It would be great if you could donate directly to us instead". There is no formal campaign, but twice a year the dean sends a reminder letter that I gave last year and it would be great if I could give again. And once (in fact last year when I got a huge holiday bonus) I sent them a check without prompting and also got a nice letter from the dean saying thanks.

So if you have some extra cash, just donate at random, they'll be thankful. And then they'll contact you every year...

nope. somehow I feel like they all owe me money.

Liberty, I always have a hard time figuring out who is the dean. I have in the past given money in the name of Professor McNeil...who was most likely not around in your day, but he was a great mentor. I always wanted my gift to at least be associated with someone whom I considered worthwhile, cause there seemed to be alot of not so worthwhile when I was there.

snooker, I had no idea you were a Wildcat! The dean has changed several times since I graduated, I couldn't name the current dean (Malo?), but I always get a letter with the dean's name on it when I donate.

Are you talking about Professor Doug McNeil? He was a great teacher and an amazing man. I loved him and he taught me a great deal when I had him for my first design studio as a sophomore. He called me once on the fact that I had labeled a leftover outdoor space between two building masses "Plaza" by asking "What about the shape of this space says 'plaza' to you?" Totally nailed me.

Professor Bob Geibner was also a favorite, and of course Kirby Lockard and Corky Poster had an enormous impact on my understanding of the world and finding an intelligent way of living in it. I'm indebted to them for most of my ideas about urban living and design.

But I've never given in anyone's name, though I think I donated to a fund in memory of Bob Geibner when he passed. I just send a check, no specifics as to how it is to be used.

When were you there? I'm class of, um, '90. Yikes, there's folks here who weren't even born yet...

I completely understand how no recent grads can even entertain the idea of donating to their alma mater. For me I'm far enough out that I actually could afford to send in a small check. Then I look back at an institution that continually raises tuition much faster than the rate of inflation. Potential students are getting priced out of higher education.

So, this year I gave to a community scholarship fund. It will go to someone from the local high school who has completed their first semester of college earning at least a 3.0 gpa and doesn't have any other scholarships. So, it goes to the poor financial aid student like I was not so long ago.

I give to the school where I did my M.Arch. I don't give to my undergrad college at all.
Most years I've donated to the architecture school's alumni fund, which usually sends requests (followed by phone calls if you don't respond to mailings!) every year around October.
I've given every year since graduation and I have a system for increasing the amount each year. But I think I may have taken the system to its limits of practicality - in other words I doubt I'd be able to afford the amount that it would dictate for next year. But that remains to be seen I guess.

Liberty Bell,

We most likely crossed paths at U of A. I didn't follow thru with the whole program, as I had a number of years of experience in the field of Architecture prior to going to school there. I worked for CNWC
Architects in Tucson. I also worked directly for Bill Cook from time to time when he was teaching. Bob Nevin leased a cubical from CNWC,
when I worked there. So he was always looking over my shoulder to
see what I was up to. Dominuque Bounamour, was working for Bob
at that time and later went to Teach At U of A. I was trying to figure out what years I was actually in the program. I left Tucson and went
to Phoenix must have been 88 to work in a firm.

Anyhow, apprenticed into the profession. Sat for the Exam, passed all of it and went out on my own three months after. Been doing my thing for ten years.