TULANE UNIVERSITY
Reunion Volunteer Handbook
Thank you for being a reunion class leader! Without your leadership, expertise, and enthusiasm, Reunion Weekend would not be possible. Whether it’s through your class outreach, spreading the word on social media, or your efforts in helping your class reach their class goal, your role as a reunion volunteer is vital to the success of this milestone celebration. As a class leader and ambassador of Tulane, your passion for the university will pique interest among your classmates, inspire them to prioritize celebrating your reunion, and most importantly, add more fun to the weekend. Together, through your class gift, your class will also make an incredible impact on future generations of Tulanians. To help you better prepare for the year-long celebration, we have created this volunteer handbook for you to use as a reunion reference guide. In addition to this resource, we ask that you contact your reunion class officer throughout the year with any questions and suggestions that you may have. We are here to support and assist you in any way. Thank you for your hard work and commitment to Tulane. We are thrilled to have the privilege to join you this year to create a reunion that strengthens your bond with Tulane and your fellow alumni, and helps to ensure the future of Tulane for years to come. Thank you for all that you do for Tulane! Sincerely,
Nicole Wiener, B ’06 Senior Director of Development, Reunion Giving
Contents 3
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5 Celebrate Your Reunion All Year Long
19 Honoring Your Class Legacy
6 Goals
20 What Gifts Count Toward Your Class Goal
REUNION OVERVIEW
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YOUR ROLE 9 Being a Class Leader 9 Time Commitment and Tulane Staff Support 10 Ways to Go Beyond
CLASS GIFT 19 Why Give?
20 How Will My Classmates Respond to My Request for Support? 21 Ways of Giving
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COMMUNICATIONS
11 Chair Positions
25 Examples of Communications to Classmates
12 Our Commitment to You
26 Talking Points
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27 FAQs
REUNION WEEKEND 15 What You Can Expect From the Celebration
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ONLY THE AUDACIOUS CAMPAIGN
RECONNECT WITH THE MISSION STATEMENT OF TULANE UNIVERSITY Tulane’s purpose is to create, communicate and conserve knowledge in order to enrich the capacity of individuals, organizations and communities to think, to learn and to act and lead with integrity and wisdom. Tulane pursues this mission by cultivating an environment that focuses on learning and the generation of new knowledge; by expecting and rewarding teaching and research of extraordinarily high quality and impact; and by fostering communitybuilding initiatives as well as scientific, cultural and social understanding that integrate with and strengthen learning and research. This mission is pursued in the context of the unique qualities of our location in New Orleans and our continual aspiration to be a truly distinctive international university. 2
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Reunion Overview
Celebrate Your Reunion All Year Long JANUARY-MARCH: · Update your contact information with your reunion class officer or online at reunions.tulane.edu. · Join your class Facebook page – reunions.tulane.edu/connect. · Save the date and spread the word! As soon as the date is announced, share with friends and classmates by email, text, and on social media.
APRIL-JUNE · Join classmates at Tulane’s Pre-Reunion Jazz Fest Brunch if you are in New Orleans and enjoy complimentary shuttle service to Jazz Fest. · Consider making your Reunion gift or multi-year commitment. (All new gifts and pledges will be counted up front and celebrated during your reunion year. For more information about giving, please see the “Your Class Gift” section of this resource). · Confirm travel plans and check in with your classmates about theirs.
· Kickoff the year-long celebration at local and regional alumni events including Mardi Gras parties, crawfish boils, and more.
JULY-REUNION WEEKEND:
· Reach out to begin building excitement for Reunion festivities and participation in the class gift. Share names of friends/ classmates you will be contacting with your reunion class officer.
· Follow up with friends to make sure they have registered for the events they’d like to attend.
· Lead by example: Finalize your gift to show your support. · Register for Reunion Weekend.
· Research your travel plans for Reunion Weekend.
· Check the weather, make dinner reservations and pack your bags! Enjoy a weekend in New Orleans reconnecting with classmates and Tulane.
· Participate in Give Green, Tulane’s annual giving day.
AFTER REUNION WEEKEND: · Maximize your class’s impact by encouraging friends who haven’t given to participate in your class gift before year’s end. · Provide feedback to your reunion class officer on your experience. · Suggest classmates who may be interested in volunteering in the future.
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Goals Through collaboration between committee members and your reunion class officer, each class develops giving goals. Updates about the goals are sent on a monthly basis and include gifts and pledges to the Tulane Fund throughout the entire reunion cycle. The class giving totals are celebrated in a final reunion report sent after the reunion cycle is over.
REUNION CUP CHALLENGE The 5th through 45th Reunion classes vie for three alumni awards—the Reunion Attendance Cup, the Reunion Giving Participation Cup, and the First-Time Donor Challenge Cup. · The Reunion Attendance Cup is awarded to the class with the highest percentage of alumni in attendance at Reunion. · The Reunion Giving Participation Cup recognizes the class with the highest giving participation among classes. · The First-Time Donor Cup is awarded to the class with the highest number of first-time donors. The Reunion Cup awards will be presented during the Tulane Homecoming football game.
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Your Role
Being a Class Leader Reunion volunteers make the Tulane Reunion experience special. As a member of this dynamic group of alumni leaders, you help classmates reconnect with each other, Tulane and New Orleans in three main ways: 1. Help bring classmates back to campus and New Orleans for Reunion Weekend. 2. Celebrate the power of collective giving by making a gift to Tulane in honor of your reunion year and encouraging your classmates to do the same. 3. Encourage participation in activities throughout the year, especially class specific regional events and social media platforms. Lead by example by attending events and posting to social media platforms. Reunion volunteers make an impact by personally reaching out to classmates and by giving the university feedback on reunion communications. Together, you reach far more alumni than the university could on its own. You generate year-round excitement for your reunion and make the celebration a success.
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Time Commitment and Tulane Staff Support As a reunion volunteer, you are part of your “Reunion Class Committee.” Your reunion class officer will work with you to customize your role based on your desired time commitment and level of involvement. You will be kept up to date with regular communications especially tailored to volunteers and all of your efforts will be supported by your reunion class officer. Committee members provide guidance and input to the reunions staff to make their reunion special. Tulane staff members are charged with the “heavy lifting” of event logistics, communications and other tasks. Committee members are charged with having fun and connecting with their classmates.
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Ways to Go Beyond EXPECTATIONS
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WAYS TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND
Lend your name to the reunion effort on official university communications
Identify potential committee leadership
Encourage friends to attend Reunion Weekend and participate in the class gift campaign
Post photos and memories to your class Facebook group and other social media platforms
Make a gift in honor of your reunion
Make a multi-year pledge to increase your impact
Participate in committee emails throughout reunion year
Seek out opportunities to connect with Tulane through activities beyond Reunion Weekend
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Peer-to-Peer Outreach We ask each member of the reunion committee to assist with outreach. This should be what feels right for each volunteer, ranging from a small group of friends, the members of a club or social Greek Organization to which they belonged, or the entirety of a school/major.
1. Coverage – The committee can make sure it’s reaching out to a variety of alumni, friend groups and organizations.
There are a few ways volunteers can review the class and identify the classmates they’d like to contact:
3. Visibility – Tulane’s reunion team will know which classmates have received additional communications from their peers and can help fill in the gaps.
· Email – Volunteers can notify their class officer who can provide a list in Excel (entire class, or just the segment/group requested) for the volunteer to identify who they will contact. · Online portal – Volunteers get special access to our online portal to assist with outreach. After completing the confidentiality form, volunteers get a login to the Volunteer Network Portal where they can search for classmates and see their contact information. Each committee member adds classmates to their dashboard to let the reunions team know who they will be reaching out to. Scripts for outreach are also provided on this platform. It’s important to let class officers know who each volunteer is contacting, This information is helpful in several ways: VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK
2. Timing – Prevents one alumnus from being bombarded with too many emails about the reunion and spreads out the contact.
4. Growth – More Tulanians get to hear about the reunion! Calling, emailing and texting have been the most popular ways to spread the word, but some volunteers prefer to send Facebook messages or write letters. We encourage volunteers to contact their friends in whatever manner they find convenient and relevant. BROADER OUTREACH IDEAS: · Use the reunion program’s social media guide to post messages and pictures on Instagram and Facebook encouraging classmates to return. · Start conversations within your class Facebook page about the reunion. Class Officers are here to work individually with each volunteer on the method that is best for them. 11
Our Commitment to You OUR PURPOSE Tulane Reunion staff support, energize and provide necessary resources for our volunteers. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES · Provide on-boarding, progress updates and personalized assistance for all volunteers, including a framework and training for prospect outreach. · Engage volunteers with leadership to provide input into developing vision, strategies and goals.
· Provide networking opportunities with university leadership and “insider” updates on Tulane. · Recognize and appreciate the efforts of volunteers at events and in publications. As you begin your work as a volunteer, know you are not alone. Reunion staff will support and guide you through the process of identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding Tulane University reunion celebrants.
· Maximize opportunities for volunteers to contribute unique talents in areas of special interest to benefit Tulane University. 12
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Reunion Weekend
Each year, the university welcomes record-setting numbers to campus. With your support we can continue to welcome back even more alumni to campus.
Here Is What You Can Expect From the Celebration: FRIDAY
SATURDAY
On-campus events including inspired lectures, updates from senior university administrators, tours and open houses.
Tailgating and pre-game activities for the whole family, followed by the Homecoming football game in Yulman Stadium. Reunion celebrants enjoy food and drinks in a covered area in class-specific reunion tents.
Reunion Leadership reception with other Reunion volunteers and lead donors celebrating their reunions. Class parties at venues throughout the city. The Tipping Point – all alumni party featuring a professionally curated music line-up.
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THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND Mini-Reunions that bring together fellow participants in various activities, sports, and special interests.
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Class Gift
Honoring Your Class Legacy Reunion years offer a special chance to celebrate the power of collective giving and make a meaningful impact on your alma mater. Each year reunion celebrants give millions of dollars to the university, which supports Tulane’s top priorities like providing financial aid to students in need. When you contribute to your class gift, you honor your class legacy and invest in future generations of Tulanians. There is not a class-specific gift to one particular project or area. We have found that individuals are most generous when given the opportunity to support areas that are personally meaningful to them. All gifts must be designated to an area(s) of the university. All new gifts and pledges count towards your class gift.
Why Give? Your reunion giving contributions support the student experience at Tulane, helping to maintain and enhance the Tulane experience with scholarships, graduate fellowships, on campus resources and a range of other initiatives. Tulane’s alumni giving percentage is an important statistic that grantmaking and ranking organizations consider. Your participation sends an important message: that alumni love Tulane and care about its future. Gifts in any amount help the entire Tulane community – current and future students, faculty, and even VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK
the value of your own degree! We hope you will make a special, increased gift as you reflect on your student experience. TOP 5 REASONS TO GIVE: 1. Show thanks to Tulane for an amazing college experience. 2. Pay-it-forward to future generations of Tulane students. 3. Multiplier effect. If everyone gives, your class will have an enormous impact at Tulane! 4. Opportunity to support an area of the university about which you are passionate. 5. Alumni giving helps Tulane’s national rankings. DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR TULANE THIS REUNION YEAR: All new gifts and pledges made to Tulane during the Reunion Class Gift campaign are counted towards your class gift. There are three ways that you can participate: 1. A one-time gift celebrates your reunion year and honors your class legacy. 2. Recurring gifts through the Big Easy plan allow you to make a big yearly impact with smaller monthly or quarterly gifts. 3. A multi-year pledge will be recognized and counted in full for individual reunion donor credit and in class giving totals, while furthering your impact through to your next reunion. To make a gift visit giving.tulane.edu/reunions or call your reunion class officer. 19
What Gifts Count Toward Your Class Goal? Your reunion year provides an excellent opportunity to support Tulane in a way that is personally meaningful to you. Your gift can be designated to your school, athletics, scholarships, or many initiatives across Tulane. All areas supported by the Tulane Fund are counted in your class goal. Allocations areas include: · Tulane Fund for Undergraduate Education · Student Scholarships · General University Support · Schools’ and units’ annual funds · Deans’ discretionary funds Gifts to restricted funds at the university will be celebrated in the final reunion report but do not count toward the class goals. For questions about which funds are considered restricted and which are part of the Tulane Fund contact your reunion class officer.
How Will My Classmates Respond to My Request for Support? Depending on your comfort level, there are various ways to support your class’s fundraising effort. It can be as simple as sharing with friends that you made a gift and they should too or as involved as soliciting your classmates as outlined below. Once you’ve talked with your reunion class officer, you will select the classmates that you feel comfortable contacting and soliciting for a reunion gift. These classmates might be from your school, first-year dorm, fraternity or sorority, athletic team, club, or various other organizations and affiliations to which you belonged during your undergraduate years. Yes: If a classmate agrees to support the university, there are several ways to confirm the gift. · Say thank you and ask if he/ she is comfortable discussing the specifics with you. If yes, determine how much they would like to give and where they would like to direct their support. Record the payment schedule of the gift or pledge in an email and forward it to your reunion class officer to process. · Direct them to give online by providing the link: giving.tulane.edu.
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· Accept a verbal pledge and relay the amount and designation to your reunion class officer, who will then follow up to officially document the gift or pledge. · Alumni can mail in a gift or pledge by completing and returning any university-related pledge form. · If the classmate is not comfortable discussing specific gift information with you, offer to have a reunion class officer contact them to discuss their personal situation in confidence. Maybe: It is not unusual for someone to want time to think carefully before committing to a gift. Ask if you can contact them again in a week or two to follow up. No: Thank the classmate for their time and consideration. Express the hope that they will consider participating in the class effort by making a gift before December 31st, and, of course, encourage them to attend the reunion. After Contacting Classmates: Update your Reunion Giving Officer with progress and results by entering your notes into the Volunteer Network or emailing the Officer directly. Thank You Note: No matter what the response, please consider sending a personal thank-you note or email and encourage attendance of the reunion. A thank-you template will be available, and your reunion officer can send you Tulane stationery. Keep Discussions Confidential: Making a charitable gift is a personal decision and may involve discussion VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK
of a classmate’s financial situation. It is essential that we treat sensitive information with respect.
Ways of Giving There are many ways to give to Tulane University, and our Reunion team looks forward to working with you to help provide a better future for the university. IN PERSON with your class officer ONLINE giving.tulane.edu PHONE Phone us at 800-933-6886 (toll free) or 504-865-5794. CHECKS Make checks payable to Tulane University. You may note the specific purpose of your gift on the memo line of your check. Mail directly to us: Tulane University P.O. Box 61075 New Orleans, LA 70161-9986 WIRE TRANSFER Wire cash donations directly to Tulane University by providing the following instructions to your banker: Capital One Federal Reserve Bank of New Orleans ABA No. 065 0000 90 Account No. 882164004 Credit: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund Reference: [your name] 21
To help us track your transfer in a timely manner, please inform us of your intent to transfer cash. Contact Rachael Yepez at 504-314-7295, 800-933-6886 (toll free) or tugift@tulane.edu.
gifts from your retirement plan to Tulane. Your accountant or other advisor can also help you determine the optimum amount to give from retirement plan accounts under federal and state tax laws.
GIFT OF SECURITIES
TULANE DONOR ADVISED FUND
Your gift of stock can be transferred to the account of The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund by providing the following transfer instructions to your broker: DTC Eligible Securities DTC# 0443 Pershing, LLC For Credit to account #: N7M002028 Account Name: Tulane Gift Account Donor Name: [your name] Attention: Jorja Watts GIFT FROM AN IRA Talk to your advisor about the advantage of directly transferring 22
A donor advised fund can serve as a convenient alternative for a donor who does not wish to make direct grants to charity or form a private foundation. Your gift to a donor advised fund is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Once an account is created, you may use it as a fund to support your favorite causes. A donor advised fund also offers professional investment management for the assets held in the account and administrative ease, all at a competitive cost. TUL ANE UNIV ER SIT Y REUNIONS
Communications
Examples of Communications to Classmates Outreach
Giving
SAVE-THE-DATE EMAIL
Dear [classmate],
I wanted to let you know about the Reunion Giving Program. We are striving to have __% of the class participate and raise $______ in honor of our ___ Reunion. All gifts count in our class’s total and you can designate your gift to the area that means the most to you. If you would like to make a gift, or have questions go to reunions.tulane.edu to make a gift.
Can you believe it’s been ____ years since we graduated?! I hope you’ll save the date to attend our Reunion: _______. I’m planning to be there, and I am also on the ____th Reunion Committee, so if you have any suggestions or questions, let me know! Now is also a great time to book your travel! Tulane has negotiated rates at local hotels just for us, but they won’t last forever so book now! REGISTRATION EMAIL Registration is now open. You can sign up here for the full weekend of events and get tickets to our class party on Friday night at ______ and the Homecoming game on campus. Whether or not you can attend, you can make a gift in honor of the reunion here. Gifts and pledges of any size will count towards our Class Gift goal. VOICEMAIL MESSAGE Hi ______, it’s _______ from Tulane! I have been really involved with our upcoming ____th reunion this year and wanted to reach out personally to let you know what we have in store. Our reunion will be _______ in New Orleans and I hope you’ll join me there. Call me back so we can talk more! VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK
The online registration form will include a place to make a gift. You can also contact the Reunions office directly at reunions@tulane. edu or 504-314-7338. Thank you so much for your time. Again, if you have any questions, please contact our reunion class officer. I hope to see you back on campus for our ___ Reunion! TEXT MESSAGES: Hey! Our ____th Reunion is ______. I’m going, let’s start making plans with our friends. Can’t wait to see you in New Orleans! Hey ______, I just made a gift to Tulane in honor of our ___th Reunion. Will you join me in supporting Tulane by donating today?
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Talking Points As you talk with your classmates about the reunion, here are some ways to share the importance and impact of the class gift. WHY IS SUPPORTING TULANE SO IMPORTANT? · Demonstrates that Tulane alumni are proud of their university, and want to invest in its future. · Assures a dynamic learning environment and guarantees a level of flexibility to meet the needs of our students. · Supports campus wide priorities and counts as part of the Only the Audacious Campaign. WHAT IS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT PARTICIPATION? · Participation shows that Tulane alumni care about their alma mater and are committed to its success. · Participation is paramount to how we are measured against other institutions and can affect: · Essential funds from outside foundations and corporations. · Rankings in publications especially in areas such as alumni satisfaction. · Prospective students’ and parents’ views of how the alumni feel about their alma mater. · High participation rates are about far more than how Tulane appears on the surface. Our alumni participation rate: 26
· Reveals a vote of confidence among those who belong to the Tulane community. · Creates positive buy-in because people identify with the core mission and vision. · Generates more income so that we create the Tulane experience for future generations of students. ALUMNI NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. · Create importance around any gift they would like to make, as they are all going toward ensuring Tulane’s continued quality of success. · Some of your classmates may want to make a special gift in honor of their reunion, or would like to talk to someone further about giving. · Encourage them to speak with Tulane and share your reunion class officer’s contact information. · Ensure them that talking with someone on Tulane’s reunion team does not mean they are obligated to give. FUN FACTS TO SHARE WITH YOUR CLASSMATES: · Your class participation goal and how each gift plays a significant role in the overall success of the reunion giving efforts for your class. · Total dollars raised by your class so far. Remember, all Tulane Fund gifts count toward your class’s total. · There will be recognition as a class throughout the weekend. TUL ANE UNIV ER SIT Y REUNIONS
· The reunion counting period runs for 18 months from July 1st to December 31st. All gifts made in this time frame count in your class totals.
· Academic programming
FAQs
· Health and wellness
ONLY THE AUDACIOUS CAMPAIGN · Tulanians of all generations will be called on to make this campaign transformative. · All gifts count toward this monumental effort. · Gifts in support of your reunion class goal count toward the Only the Audacious campaign. THE TULANE FUND FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION · The Tulane Fund for Undergraduate Education supports current students and ensures they continue to discover, research and explore all that Tulane and New Orleans can offer. · Every dollar given to the Tulane Fund for Undergraduate Education support the undergraduate experience—inside and outside of the classroom. · What does the Tulane Fund for Undergraduate Education Support? · Scholarships · Attracting and retaining top faculty · Research · Extending our commitment to service learning VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK
· Preparing every graduate for personal and career success · Study abroad · New and emerging technologies · Campus and classroom support TULANE ASSOCIATES · Tulane Associates are the university’s most dedicated supporters who give $2,500 or more in annual giving to the Tulane Fund. · By supporting Tulane at the Associates level you will impact scholarships, academic resources and campus life initiatives that make the Tulane experience stand apart from our peers. · Gifts of $2,500 or more allocated to the following schools also qualify you for membership in the Tulane Associates: School of Medicine (1834 Society), Freeman School of Business (Aldrich Society), School of Law (Law Fellows), Athletics (Coach’s Corner Level and above). CONFIDENTIALITY All Reunion volunteers will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to receiving the class lists or information about classmates. It is important to note that class lists contain confidential information and are to be used for Reunion communication only. They may not be shared with anyone else who is not on the Reunion Class Committee. 27
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Campaign
Only the Audacious Campaign Positioned to lead with purpose, Tulane has embarked on the largest comprehensive campaign in school history. With a long-standing tradition of service, Tulane is deeply rooted in the community of New Orleans, with ties that strongly impact the culture of the institution. This is a pivotal moment in our history. Refocused on crossdisciplinary learning and research, the time is now for Tulane to invest in its future. With soaring interest from the brightest students, with world-class faculty focused on solving problems that matter to the world, this is our moment to leap forward. The Only the Audacious campaign is calling upon our alumni, donors, friends and parents to support our ambitious future as we raise $1.3 billion. AT-A-GLANCE The Only the Audacious Campaign is a multi-year fundraising effort to build the future of our university while remaining true to our historic strengths. The Campaign will impact all aspects of the university—every student, every faculty member, all schools and units and centers. It will broaden our capacity, by means of our scholarship, our research and our graduates, to emerge as the exemplar of higher education in our time.
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ONLY THE AUDACIOUS STANDS FOR: Pioneering research with a global impact that connects across all disciplines and pushes the boundaries of human knowledge and discovery. Opportunity and diversity fostered by a campus community centered on inclusiveness and respect. Transformative teaching from faculty empowered to re-envision student learning through experiential opportunities and civic engagement. Building an environment that supports excellence, enhances learning, and advances innovation.
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CAMPAIGN GOAL
$1.5 Billion
CAMPUS TRANSFORMATION Bring football back to the Uptown Campus at Yulman Stadium.
FINANCIAL AID Raise more than $125 million for endowed scholarships – doubling the amount of funding for scholarships – and dramatically increase the percentage of students from underrepresented communities. This funding will close the financial gap and enable the best and brightest to receive a Tulane education.
FACULTY EXCELLENCE Increase the number of endowed faculty positions across the university to 400. This will keep Tulane in line with peer institutions across the country.
RESEARCH Dedicate 20% of all campaign funds to support research. Create 10 Presidential Chairs that will attract high-profile, multidisciplinary faculty whose clout and mentorship will elevate the entire university.
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
erve the growing S A. B. Freeman School of Business through an expansion of the Goldring/Woldenberg Business Complex. Transform student services by uniting them uniting them under one roof—Mussafer Hall. Construct The Commons— a transformational communal space in the heart of the uptown campus. Build innovative medical student educational spaces in Tulane’s downtown campus. Elevate research in the new Steven and Jann Paul Hall for Science and Engineering.
Increase the number of engaged alumni through volunteering, connecting, giving and going to 50,000+
Revolutionize campus living by constructing the New Residential Quad.
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6823 ST. CHARLES AVENUE · NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70118 · 504-247-1475
REUNIONS.TULANE.EDU
