Development Office Month of Gratitude

Image courtesy of milton.edu

By JEREMY HWANG ‘22

Do you ever wonder how Milton gets its money? Your easy answer might be our tuition, but the truth behind our award-winning grass is a lot more complex. The Office of Development and Alumni Relations at Milton is responsible for keeping alumni, parents, and friends in touch with Milton through different events, while raising funds to ensure the continued operation of the school; tuition only accounts for 72% of the costs to run the school, so philanthropy is a necessary element of the school’s maintenance. Student Ambassadors, a group of student volunteers that serve as liaisons between the office and the rest of the Academy, support fundraising work by participating in various activities like “Phone-a-thons,” Philanthropy Day, and the Senior Class gift campaign. All of these events help express the school’s message of gratitude.
Recently, they initiated the “Month of Gratitude,” a series of “Thankful Thursday” events in November that, according to Annual Giving Officer Sarah Connelly, “showcase the impact of philanthropy and encourage students to express their gratitude for the donors who help make their experiences possible.'' Every Thursday, different activities--signing thank you cards, filming video(s) of appreciation, and assembling a banner--are set up in the Student Center for the community to express gratitude and leave a lasting impression to Milton’s donors.
Ms. Connelly believes that by inviting the student body to show appreciation for the  incoming gifts, [the office] will continue to cultivate a culture of philanthropy that will sustain Milton into the future.” Lynn Yuan of Class II, one of the Student ambassadors, believes that the Month of Gratitude is a “good way to get the community thinking about the people who make our experience here possible.” Benjamin Serra of Class III agrees about the significance of the donations. He says, “I really appreciate the Milton experience and want others to have the same opportunity. As a community we need to recognize that continued philanthropy is a topic that hits home for a lot of students.” 

But philanthropy isn’t just an issue of financial aid; it’s a question of “classrooms without committed teachers, athletics without competition or assemblies without speakers” for the Office of Development. The Month of Gratitude is the first step as a community to understanding what goes on behind the scenes in creating the opportunities we are presented with at Milton. 

With that thought in mind, by June 2020, Dare: The Campaign for Milton will hopefully have raised $175 million to support students and faculty!