Departing gifts have been a longstanding tradition of Georgetown University senior classes. The earliest recorded senior gift was a new four lane wooden straightaway for the University’s running track in the Ryan Gymnasium given by the Class of 1927.1 In 1950, senior gift giving became a more formalized annual tradition, with fundraising beginning in the fall and a vote on gift options at the start of the spring semester.
In 2009, the University rebranded the Senior Class Gift into the Class of 2009 Fund, which allows seniors to donate directly to the specific school, departments, teams, clubs, or organizations that most influenced one’s time on the Hilltop.2 Now, in addition to the collective individual donations by members of the senior class, high participation rates by the senior class unlock larger gifts from the Board of Regents, which since 2013 has donated $1,000 to the class fund for every percentage point of seniors who donate.3
Between 1950 and 2008, the senior classes of Georgetown University gifted the following:
1950: Statue of Our Lady of Fatima on Copley Lawn4
1951: Scoreboards for the new McDonough Gym5
1952: War Memorial in honor of Georgetown students who died in 1861, 1898, 1917, and 19416
1953: Harbin Memorial Trophy Room for McDonough Gym
1954: New front gates at 37th and O Streets NW7
1955: $10,000 for a new laboratory in the new Science Building8
1960: Audio Room on the second floor of Healy Hall with collection of tapes9
1961: New shell and 30 oars for the Georgetown Crew Team10
1962: Art gallery11
1963: $125,000 to the "The 1963 Georgetown University Endowment Fund" via ten $10,000 insurance policies, taken out on the ten youngest members of the senior class12
1964: Seniors donated the accumulated sum of ten year's dividends from the premium on their life insurance policies to the University for use at its own discretion13
1966: $66,000 for Student Financial Aid14
1967: $25 donation per student to be used for the purchase of library books recommended by faculty15
1971: Proceeds from a 25 year mutual fund16
1977: Funding for a new student center in Healy Hall17
2001: Southwestern Quadrangle beautification: additional trees, shrubs, and benches18
2002: September 11th memorial garden on the 3600 block of N Street
2003: “Welcome to Georgetown” sign at the Canal Road Entrance19
2004: “Jack the Bulldog Clock” at the corner of the Southwest Quad and the Leo O’Donovan Dining Hall20
2005: Memorial flagpole for Daniel Rigby (MSB’05) who died in a Georgetown rowhouse fire and a grand piano in the auditorium of the planned Royden B. Davis, S.J., Performing Arts Center21
2006: Park across from Reiss Science Building and mural in Hoya Court in Leavey Student Center22
2007: $64,00 donation to the Georgetown Fund23
2008: $34,273.12 donation to the Georgetown Fund
- 1“Board Straightaway is On Freshman Field. The Hoya. 15 Dec. 1927, p.5.
- 2Petrillo, Matt. “Senior Fund: The Gift That Keeps on Giving.” The Hoya. 19 Feb. 2009.
- 3Wolfe, Ryan. “Seniors End College Career With Week, Gift.” The Hoya. 15 May 2015.
- 4Georgetown University (Washington, DC), Ye Domesday Booke, 1950, p.93.
- 5Georgetown University (Washington, DC), Ye Domesday Booke, 1951, p.84.
- 6Georgetown University (Washington, DC), Ye Domesday Booke, 1952, p.136.
- 7Georgetown University (Washington, DC), Ye Domesday Booke, 1954, p.79.
- 8Gold, Bill. “Loyal Hoya Squirrel Retired at Last.” The Washington Post. 07 June 1955.
- 9“Audio Room Offers Tapes of Literature.” The Hoya. 9 Dec. 1960, p.3.
- 10“Senior Gift to Provide Crew With Shell, Oars.” The Hoya. 19 Jan. 1961.
- 11“Senior Decision Made, GU Art to Find Home in New Gallery Choice.” The Hoya. 10 May 1962, p.1.
- 12“Gift Committee Favors For Increased Revenue Unique Insurance Plan.” The Hoya, 6 Dec. 1962, p.3.
- 13Nugent, Joe. “Novel Senior Offering Ceding Hoya Dividends, Debated By 1964 Class.” The Hoya. 16 Jan. 1964, p.1.
- 14“1966 Senior Class Campaign Goal To Be Student Financial Aid.” The Hoya. 12 May 1966.
- 15Weiland, Glen. “Modest Proposal Could Save $2,800,000 Annually.” The Hoya. 9 Feb. 1967, p.3.
- 16“Seniors Bequeath GU 25 Year Mutual Fund.” The Hoya. 25 March 1971, p.2.
- 17Reitman, Val. “Seniors Will Donate Funds to Univ Center.” The Hoya. 15 April 1977, p.3.
- 18“Graduation Ceremonies Planned.” The Hoya. 4 May 2001.
- 19Timiraos, Nick. “Planning of Class Gifts Moves Forward.” The Hoya. 10 Oct. 2003.
- 20Timiraos, Nick. “Bulldog Statute Selected as Gift.” The Hoya. 13 Feb. 2004.
- 21Heberle, Robert. “Seniors Gather for Convocation.” The Hoya. 20 May 2005.
- 22Santulli, Stephen. “Seniors to Fund Park, Mural in Hoya Court.” The Hoya. 19 May 2006.
- 23Hilson, James. “A Senior Send-Off.” The Hoya. 19 May 2007.
