CARDRUNNERS

I graduated from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania in 1989.  I continue to be amazed nearly 20 years later at how persistent they are in contacting me to solicit.  I think most schools do it nowadays, but year after year I receive multiple phone calls, letters and emails.  I have yet to give a donation, but somehow they don't seem to catch a hint.   Every semester, I get the perfunctory call from the spunky sounding female coed.  I get the yearly school calendar, the alumni newsletter, the invitations, and the regular requests for donations.

It's not that I have anything against the school.  I valued the education I received there.  It broadened me as a person and introduced thoughts I had never considered.  But, I can't say that they have assisted me in any way since my graduation.  I never attained a position solely on the merits of attending that school or received any career guidance from them.  Possibly due to my career and geographic independence, I have never been able to leverage that relationship to my benefit.  My family paid a considerable amount for me to attend this good liberal arts school.  I never received any scholorships or student aid during my four years.

What obligation do I have to give money continually through the years?  I've had no contact with most of my graduating class or attended any reunions.  I live across the country and don't have the opportunity to revisit the school.  I've never reached a level of affluence where I can freely donate money to various causes that aren't particularly dear to me. And yet, they keep asking.

I have to give them credit, though, they are improving their presentation.  Today I received this Bucknell email from the University president.  It is a memory lane wintry visit of Bucknell (advance by clicking the pictures).  The better the presentation, the more likely I'll be to check it out quickly, but it's difficult to reattach to something that happened 20 years ago.  I am appreciative of the experience and education which was dearly paid for, but I'm afraid that if I don't come into some serious money later in my life that they will likely never see another dime.