An extraordinary 84% of members of the Class of 2025 gave to their Senior Class Gift, the highest percentage of participating seniors on record.
The Senior Class Gift is a longstanding tradition of student philanthropy at William & Mary. Rather than being one collective gift, the Senior Class Gift includes donations from seniors to any area of William & Mary of their choosing. This year, the class raised more than $40,097 to 247 areas of the university.
The initiative is run by Students for University Advancement, a student organization that educates, engages and excites current William & Mary students about the importance and impact of supporting W&M now and after graduation. The Senior Class Gift Committee, led by co-chairs Ronan Gormley ’25 and Marshall Kagan ’25 and SUA chair Isabella Esposito ’25, planned events to encourage student giving, including 31 Mug Nights. For a donation matching their class year (in this case, $20.25) to any area of William & Mary, seniors received a 32-ounce mug, which could be used at local establishments for deals on food and drinks. “Being a member of SUA and the Senior Class Gift Committee completely transformed the way I view community outreach,” says Anna Dawson ’25, SUA communications chair. “SUA and its members have shaped how I approach teamwork, outreach, and what it truly means to be part of a community. SCG showed me that giving back isn’t just about service. It’s about building meaningful relationships, creating opportunities for others and strengthening the bond between the broader campus community. That sense of purpose and belonging continues to drive me, and I believe giving back is what turns individual success into something much bigger than yourself. Making my senior class gift was proof of that.”