Reunion Giving

Teamwork and record giving

Generous donors, enthusiastic volunteers, challenge gifts, and an emphasis on University priorities helped raise the bar on reunion giving in 2011–2012. Of the thirteen Yale College reunion classes, two set records—1967 and 2002—and seven other classes moved into the top-ten spots for their respective reunions.

Together, the reunion classes brought in $54.35 million during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, handily exceeding their goal of $35.84 million for the year. They added $12.6 million more to their reunion totals in 2012 than classes during the comparable period last year.

Notably, the youngest reunion classes participated generously: the classes of 2002 and 2007 both met aggressive participation challenges, and the Class of 2002 turned in a record-breaking gift of $1,936,020 for its 10th Reunion.

The success of reunions reflected hard work, teamwork, and class spirit: in total, 372 volunteers reached out to 3,109 classmates to solicit their support of the University. Many classes, especially among younger alumni, had three or four co-chairs and an expanded volunteer corps that could speak to a broad representation of classmates.

Collectively, the reunion classes exceeded their Annual Fund dollar goals by nearly $1 million, and several initiatives emphasized the Nathan Hale Associates scholarships. Seven classes leveraged a total of eight challenges that would benefit the Annual Fund, seeking to raise both dollars and participation levels. The Class of 1967 contributed a record-high 45th Reunion gift of over $46 million, including a scholarship in memory of Robert “Biff” McKellip, their only classmate to die in action in the Vietnam War.

Yale College Reunion Class Performance 2011–2012

   
1947

$3,151,544; Participation: 64%
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: Robert A. Lawrence, Louis A. Savarese
Memorials Chair: Catherine Brigham
Chair of Agents: Douglas H. Springer

1952

$18,358,334; Participation: 86% *
Reunion Gift Chair: John Lewis Furth
Planned Giving Chair: Graham S. Finney
Memorials Chair: Lucy A. Adams
Chair of Agents: Alan Stamm

1957

$12,521,628; Participation: 72% *
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: Thomas P. Perkins III, John F. Turben, John W. Watling III
Planned Giving Co-Chairs: Peter M. Capra, Roderick W. Correll
Memorials Chair: Nancy S. Mongillo
Chair of Agents: Roderick W. Correll

1962

$45,119,246; Participation: 60% *
Reunion Gift Chair: William K. Reilly
Memorials Chair: Judith S. Ball
Chair of Agents: Willis B. Boyer, Jr.

1967

$46,634,459; Participation: 57% **
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: Robert W. Anestis, Michael C. Brooks, Richard S. Pechter
Co-Chairs of Agents: J. Barry Bardo, Christopher K. Chapin, David L. Herzer, Richard F. Lawler, Jr.

1972

$6,112,905; Participation: 50%
Reunion Gift Chair: John S. Lapides
Chair of Agents: Stephen Calkins

1977

$7,989,637; Participation: 51%
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: William Hubbard Cook, Christopher A. di Bonaventura, Anne R. Lovett
Chair of Agents: Nancy A. Stratford

1982

$10,563,541; Participation: 49% *
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: Will Ketcham, Lise Strickler
Chair of Agents: Deborah J. Freedman

1987

$25,035,510; Participation: 80% *
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: Susan R. Forst, Jason W. Reese, Gavin C. Wellington
Chair of Agents: Gavin C. Wellington

1992

$8,873,088; Participation: 43% *
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: Mark T. DeAngelis, Robin B. Hazelwood, Erika Higdon O’Brien
Chair of Agents: Gregory T. Wolf

1997

$1,163,187; Participation: 42%
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: Nathaniel T. G. Fogg, Margaret S. Warden
Chair of Agents: Margaret S. Warden

2002

$1,936,020; Participation: 47% **
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: Jamie Flaherty Cheney, Ryan C. Coyle, Michael B. Horn, Catherine Silver Smith
Chair of Agents: Michael B. Horn

2007

$267,418; Participation: 53% *
Reunion Gift Co-Chairs: Ryan F. Atlas, Romy A. Drucker, Laura Greer Haim, Alain Miguel 
Co-Chairs of Agents: Romy A. Drucker, Laura Greer Haim

*Reunion Class Within Top Ten
** Reunion Class Record