Class of 2006 "Raises the Roof"

This spring, the Class of 2006 sent a strong message about its belief in the future of Yale SOM. In their annual class gift campaign, the second-year students pledged a record-breaking $215,557, with 72 percent of the class making a gift to the Yale SOM Alumni Fund. The slogan for this year’s class gift program was “Raise the Roof,” and, accordingly, students elected to direct the majority of their support to the design and construction of the new Yale SOM campus. The class also earmarked funds for scholarships and the unrestricted needs of the school.

Three years ago, the average total class gift was under $2,500, making this year’s amount even more impressive. A big push to increase the size of the class gift began in 2004, and since then, the second-year students have worked hard to develop and implement class-wide campaigns. Before even receiving their diplomas, students demonstrate their dedication to the school and send a clear message of support. “The Class Gift is something that sells itself, since the message is clear; an investment in SOM is an investment in the value of our own education. Together we can make a difference, and leave a legacy for our class that is beyond what any of us could do on our own,” said Christina Jansa ‘06, one of the leaders of the Class of 2006 gift campaign. In addition to Christina, leaders of the Class of 2006 Gift Committee included Kabir Amir, Kate Greene, Kaz Ishizuka, Raegan LaRochelle, June Liang, Jaydeep Mandal, Carla Pinckney, Emily Schleier, and Barry Wynn.

The Class of 2004 held the previous all-time gift record of $173,000 and the Class of 2005 still holds the participation record with 81 percent of the class making a gift to the School.