Lydia Nawrocki ’23 |Caroline Sewell ’23
This year, an Alumni 101 Committee of fifteen seniors was established in partnership with the class of 2020 and the Alumni Office to encourage 100% participation in giving to the senior fund. Despite this change, the group has not yet met their goals. The committee wants to clarify, however, that no matter what the outcome of giving, they will secure a lasting impact at EA.
This year, the committee members, rather than the development office as in years past, will solicit funds. Michael Letts, Head of Upper School, explains that the new committee intends to promote giving in a more personal way. “It just has more of an impact if a classmate or a teacher of yours explains that your giving is going to something critically important.” He continues that the development team doesn’t interact with students on a daily basis, and therefore might not be able to reach the student body in such an intimate way. The school is “trying to include more of the senior class members, educate them, and utilize them to help spread that message to the students,” in Letts’ words.
Senior Form Dean Kris Aldridge explains the fund as “basically a vote of confidence in EA, and a thank you to the school. Every senior who donates is entitled to choose the program at EA that he/she would like to support: from academics to athletics to chapel to arts, etc.”
Unfortunately, the class fund has not reached one-hundred percent participation, despite an early deadline of AIS/Haverford weekend. Months have passed since that initial endmark.
William Bagnell ‘82, alumnus of Episcopal and parent, believes that the failure to reach 100% participation is because “the committee isn’t getting to the root of the problem.” He characterizes the education at Episcopal today, in comparison to the past, as “more of a transactional based education.” He thinks the community used to be more of a “family-oriented community.”
Case Hummer ‘20, a member of the Alumni 101 Committee, thinks that the senior fund could be a way of building this unity. “The senior fund every year is a great thing that all the seniors can come around and support,” he says. “It is amazing that as a class we can leave a lasting imprint on the school for years to come, and it would be great if we could all come together to do this. EA has given me so much and I hope that through the senior fund and other events the next generation of EA students feels the same way.” The committee chairs did not respond to requests for comments.
The issue of participation has become especially relevant as the fund will go towards two legacies: the first is for specific programs (such as athletic fields, the theater, educational tools, etc) and the second is for a special endowment this year.
Aldridge explains that “the Class of 2020 will have the opportunity to name a classroom, or other space on campus, in honor of Shuhob Janjua, who would have graduated with the Class of 2020 but passed away while he was a lower school student.” She comments that “some of the seniors remember Shuhob while others don’t, so this isn’t really a part of Senior Fund, per se.” She explains that the classroom has already been constructed so this naming is “just a symbolic gesture at the end of the campaign.”
Despite this, seniors received an email in late September announcing that “If we achieve 100% participation in giving to The Episcopal Fund, along with the Class of 2020 parents, we will name the ‘Class of 2020 Second Grade Classroom in memory of Shuhob Janjua”
In response to this email, Raunaq Singh ’20 says, “I don’t think it’s fair to use his name or to even suggest the idea that we might not do that for him. He was my friend.”
“It’s a fine line,” Letts says, of recruiting funds. “I understand that some people may feel that [development] is a little forward, and they’re trying to find that balance.” In the meantime, the committee will continue to work towards encouraging giving from every senior.
Letts concludes that it’s important to get feedback from the student body. He hopes that students will reflect on their experiences, find something they appreciate about their time at EA, and ultimately give a gift.