As graduation nears, the recurring question of “will I give back to my beloved institution once I graduate?” continues to arise.
I feel this is something all alumni should do after graduation. However, I often feel as if I’m alone in this sentiment.
Most of my classmates say they will not donate simply because of bad experiences they have had at Florida A&M. Others feel like since they don’t know exactly where their money will go, they just won’t give at all.
“I had no reason not to give back,” said Joshua Ellis, a School of Business and Industry alumnus.
According to FAMU’s website, the university graduated 1,936 students last year, and fewer than half became financially active members of the National Alumni Association.
The first year of joining is free for new alumni, and the second year is just $50 a year after that. I think 50 bucks a year is pretty reasonable. However, this is $50 that can go towards a loan payment.
Many of us receive financial aid and are drowning in loan debt as soon as we graduate, so the last thing we want to receive is a phone call asking us for money. We’ll be fresh out of college trying to learn how to gain financial stability, so $50 may seem steep to some.
Regardless of the all the factors that come with being a college graduate, I plan to donate after graduation. Students who feel negatively about giving to FAMU after graduating based on their own bad experiences should think about how their money can help future Rattlers have a positive experience. FAMU can’t prosper without money.
Regardless of our reservations, FAMU has helped mold us into the young men and women we are today. It is up to us to make sure our university continues to thrive and mold future generations for another 125 years. After all, we are the “college of love and charity.”