The Golden Rams Society is a student-run group created to educate the current student body about the importance of being proud and involved future alumni. Whether a person becomes an active and involved alum is directly affected by their entire college experience. The more positive experience a student has now, the more involvement, affinity and support will be given later. Students and alumni are the most important part of a college or university. We are ambassadors in the working world and our communities, representing the quality and excellence of a WCU education.
Alumni are also an important resource to utilize to enhance college life. I was surprised to learn that WCU does not have very active alumni (participation in giving). In fact, among the 14 PASSHE schools, WCU is only number 12! One goal of the Golden Rams Society is to change this. As a member of the Golden Rams Society (or GRS), allow me to explain what we do.
My fellow GRS members and I will be working several events including five presidential events, Alumni Weekend and Homecoming. We are charged with the task of creating stronger bonds between alumni and current students. Our mission is to create pride, enthusiasm and awareness among the current student body about our university and its needs. WCU is an excellent and selective school. We should all be proud of West Chester University.
To build loyal and dedicated future alumni, GRS members, like myself, will solicit input from our fellow students, engage in awareness campaigns, host special events aimed at growing student pride and ask for student support. We hope to fund scholarships, create new initiatives and, hopefully, new traditions of our own for students to participate in and feel good about.
So, why give to WCU? After all, students pay tuition, living expenses, and book costs, so why should they give more? This is a good point but it doesn’t look at the larger picture. All 14,492 of the students currently attending West Chester University can help make it a better place. If we all cared enough to give something, even a small donation, it would add up and make a positive difference to another student.
Private support from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, corporations, and foundations-not the dwindling state funding-is what is currently giving current students the best education, both in and out of the classroom. We students need to take an active role in helping to ensure that our university is the place of higher learning that we want it to be and not a place that operates only with state appropriation and tuition and fees. We students-WCU’s future alumni-need to give too and we should! What better time to begin this than in April, student giving month. The rationale for giving is simple: give a little and get more back. Student donations will be supporting a program, event, building and/or equipment needed that we students will directly benefit from. Let’s show our alumni that we care about our university and future alma mater!
The Golden Rams Society will be out there trying to raise money for the university. Hopefully, this article helped create awareness for a new student organization here to help West Chester University. Remember, participating goes a long way.
Jack Barnett is a third-year student majoring in history and political science. He can be reached at JB723722@wcupa.edu.