Reunion years are a nice pause within our hectic lives — for touching base with fondly remembered colleagues and appreciating our academic roots. There is no better time to write a check to MIT than when great memories emerge in a broad smile.

Gerald M. Appelstein ’80, 25th Reunion Gift Chair

Reunion classes

The philanthropic impact of MIT's class reunions is nothing short of striking. Although members of these classes represent only 20 percent of the undergraduate population, their contributions typically comprise 30 percent of undergraduate gifts in the annual Alumni Fund total.

Reunion gift campaigns provide an opportunity for classes to have a direct impact on MIT, encouraging increased class participation and gift upgrades, and launching or strengthening class projects. Often, reunion gift initiatives spark and renew class spirit, and concentrated efforts by volunteers during class reunions can spur classes on to new records of giving.

Alumni often commemorate reunion milestones by surpassing their ordinary annual levels of support in order to make a special or "stretch" gift. Major reunions (25th, 40th, and 50th) feature crediting rules that include multi-year giving and participation, though most reunion gift campaigns occur within one fiscal year.

Many classes use the occasion of their reunion to highlight and promote a class project that reflects interests of the class and also provides essential funding to specific programs and initiatives. These projects have a tremendous impact on the lives of students at MIT today. Browse the list of class projects to find yours or to see what other classes have done.

Class volunteers play an essential role in the success of reunion giving and reunion event planning. No less important, however, is the participation of every alumnus or alumna celebrating a reunion this year. Make a gift online today, and support your class, and the future of the Institute.

If your class is in a reunion campaign right now, check out the most recent progress report. Historical reunion gift records are also available online.