The scholarship that allowed me to attend my Alma Mater was entirely funded by the donations of other Alumni, some of whom I've met. I know most students in the US get federal support as well, but being an foreign national, this wasn't true for me.
I've been awarded time and again in my professional life due to the quality of my education. I feel I have good reason to feel indebted to my Alma Mater, and will donate to it when I have sufficient means to do so.
Honestly, supporting motivated students get a great education seems as worth a cause as any.
Makes sense to me. It's akin to a charitable donation. Would you rather donate money to a guy to fix his plumbing (who, by the way, could already afford a house)? Or to someone to get an education so they can drastically improve their financial status?
So then, to be honest it's really not supporting motivated students get a great education, is it? It's supporting motivated students get an education at the same place I did
I certainly understand it, and even commend it, but I don't think its as charitable as thing as perhaps you are making it out to be. Your concern seems to be more with the institution and less with helping motivated students get educated.
Sorry for the sharpness of that analysis, but I think it must be pointed out.
Fair point. But I'm sure you'll concede that the more abstract goal of "supporting motivated students" cannot be supported so straight-forwardly. Should I be donating to an inner city Charter school? Or to a public school run by the school district? The whole public education reform discussion is very complex, and even knowing several teachers (working in public and private institutions) I am having difficulty making up my mind.
My first hand experience in college gives me direct and clear insight into the benefits of that particular institution. So yes, it is not by coincidence that I'm donating to that institution in particular. Still, I would claim that this is also a good faith effort to "support motivated students" applied concretely.
I've been awarded time and again in my professional life due to the quality of my education. I feel I have good reason to feel indebted to my Alma Mater, and will donate to it when I have sufficient means to do so.
Honestly, supporting motivated students get a great education seems as worth a cause as any.