'Old' young alum inspires 'new' young alums through annual gift

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The ask to make a senior class gift is almost as much a Commencement tradition as the playing of Pomp and Circumstance. But Hopkins' Class of 2017 had an extra incentive to give back to their soon-to-be alma mater, thanks to a generous gift to the Hopkins Fund by an anonymous young alum. As the class' donations climbed past several participation milestones, the seniors "unlocked" different levels of matching funds from the young alum's gift.

The Class of 2017 made 700 gifts totaling more than $20,000 by Commencement day on May 24, marking only the second time a senior class has achieved the 700-gift milestone. Including the alum's contribution, the class gave more than $25,000 to Hopkins, the second-highest total in the university's history. Seniors could dedicate their gift — the requested $20.17 or any other amount they chose — to the parts of Hopkins they felt most passionately about, including undergraduate financial aid, faculty support, and the Homewood student experience.