After the Waynesburg University class of 2017 graduated this past spring, the newest alumni started their post-graduate relationship with the university by contributing to the annual senior gift.

The university partnered with maintenance to decide what the gift would be and chose campus signage as the 2017 senior class gift. Vicki Beppler, associate director of Alumni Relations, said that the university is still working with maintenance for the project.

“The fund for the signage that they were raising money for, they are still working with maintenance on that to move forward with that project. So, that’s where we are with the senior class gifts for 2017,” Beppler said.

The university partnered with maintenance to figure out what projects were needed on campus when the most recent graduating class was deciding what they wanted their gifts to be.

“We gave them some options, and campus signage is something we don’t have right now, so that is what they chose for their senior class gift,” Beppler said.

Perhaps the most notable example of a senior gift is the bell outside of Hannah Hall, which was donated by the Class of 2015. The tradition, however, dates back a long way. In previous years, senior classes have also contributed to causes.

“In years past, we’ve had senior classes contribute to the mission trip fund, establish in down scholarships for future students, as well as donate benches, bricks and things like that,” Beppler said.

As with prior years, Waynesburg University President Douglas G. Lee will be presented with a check at the senior class meeting, a collection of how much was given towards the senior class gifts.

A few of the graduates who promoted the campus signage were Cassidy Graham, Emily Mielcarek, Tyler Miller and Amy Hawley.

For Beppler, the gift for last year’s senior class did not come with a lot of difficulties.

“I don’t think there were many challenges for the class of 2017 gifts,” Beppler said. “We don’t have too many challenges with that, other than just getting the word out about the senior class gift. We have the ability to send letters out to families and reach out to students. We saw a really great outcome of the senior class gift. It’s just deciding the timeline with maintenance on when that will happen.”

The senior gifts for this year’s class will be different than previous years.

“We are promoting the idea that we want students to give back to what is important to them,” Beppler said. “Instead of six or seven seniors deciding what that senior class gift is, any student who will be graduating in 2018 can decide what is important to them.”

Some organizations that students can give back to are the Society of Professional Journalists, Biblical Ministry Studies and the Guatemala mission trip. The funding will kick off with the second annual Day of Giving, which will take place Nov. 16.

Beppler said that students giving back is what keeps the tradition of the university going.

“The biggest thing is that giving back is so important to the university, and that’s what we want to encourage among students,” Beppler said. “Because someone gave back so that they could have the experience that they’re having now, and I think that giving back to the university in a way that they see fit is one way that we can continue to encourage that.”

For Beppler, senior gifts serve as the beginning the alumni’s post-college relationship with their alma mater.

“I think the senior gift is a great tradition, and it’s a great starting point to have students start to think about giving back after graduation,” Beppler said. “The support that comes from our alumni and friends is so important to the university. If you look around on campus – if you walk out of Miller Hall and you look around at [Roberts Chapel], at the Goodwin Performing Arts Center, at Stover Campus Center, every building on this campus was made possible by donations from alumni and friends, and so the Senior Class gift is a tradition to start giving back to the university. That’s why I think that’s important for student recognize.”