Giving back to Kellogg

7/2/2009 - As the members of the Class of 2009 concluded their time at Kellogg, they expressed their gratitude to the school in the form of class gifts.

The Full-Time class raised $612,571, with 94 percent of the class participating. Clinical Professor of Management and Strategy Harry Kraemer ’79 donated $1,000 in honor of the “Jive Turkeys” section, which attained 100 percent participation.

As of June, the Part-Time MBA class had raised $111,000, which it earmarked for study rooms. EMP-73 pledged just over $120,000, directing its gift toward case studies on entrepreneurial finance and the implications of the recent recession.

“As one of the most prolific learning institutions in the world, Kellogg students have a responsibility to grow and share the learning experiences we encountered with our peers and professors,” said Toure Claiborne EMP-73, co-chair of the class gift campaign. “Our responsibility should go beyond the world of business and (advance) social change and other issues important to our society.”

With a participation rate of more than 80 percent, EMP-74 raised $157,000 toward EMP enrichment, such as case studies. The goal is to provide a long-term benefit to the school and strengthen the Kellogg brand, class gift co-chair Allen Martin EMP-74 said.

The Full-Time class gift executive committee recognized that students are facing a difficult economic climate and challenging job market, said Claire Meunier ’09, co-chair of the committee. The theme for the full-time students’ campaign, “My Investment. Our Return,” highlighted the long-term nature of the gift and signaled that it would help to sustain the Kellogg brand in the future, Meunier said.

Along with six executive committee members, nearly 40 students worked on the Full-Time campaign, encouraging their classmates to donate via friendly section competitions and peer-to-peer solicitation.

The Full-Time class designated its gift for a future student lounge, which Meunier said would help to ensure that the next generation of Kellogg students will have a social space that will be competitive with peer schools.

“It’s an amazing testament to what we are willing to do and what we’re willing to come together for, even in this type of climate,” Meunier said.