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How do you remain connected to Stevens? Why is maintaining this connection important to you?
Kate: Continuing to be active and involved in the Stevens community is a gift, professionally and personally. My financial support and participation in events allow me to demonstrate my support for this great community and be among interesting people. My peers in the Stevens alumni community are among the best, brightest, and most successful.
Jon: Giving is one way to remain connected, but by being directly involved with former classmates, fraternity brothers, and faculty, we build and maintain the network we established during our studies. All too often, the careful cultivation of my Stevens network has done everything from allowing me to explore new career opportunities, to having old professors visit us during their vacations! Maintaining a connection to Stevens is central to supporting the time investments made while studying at Stevens.
Why do you choose to give back to Stevens? Why is it a priority to you?
Kate: First, I feel a debt to the institution and the members of our community. The education I received at Stevens, in and out of the classroom, helped me achieve my professional and personal goals. Generations of alumni invested before me so that I could have a phenomenal college experience; I am paying it forward to future alumni. Second, Stevens is a good investment. I highly recommend listening to Malcolm Gladwell's podcasts about philanthropy and higher education. In addition, the governance controls have grown since I graduated and joined the board. I am confident in Stevens’ leadership to make the best use of my contribution.
Jon: I choose to give back to Stevens to honor and recognize those who gave before me. They invested in the institution and made it possible for my success to be realized. A Stevens education isn't something that you can ignore once you've graduated. The performance and outcomes of the new alumni groups graduating reflects directly on my degree, even today, and allows me to recognize that I'm contributing to the future success of the institution.
What excites you most about the future of Stevens?
Kate: I am most excited by the confidence demonstrated by alumni and friends through their financial support. For too long, Stevens provided a top-of-the-line education without the commensurate financial support. Now, Stevens can build the infrastructure to match the high quality of its academics and better support its students and faculty.
Jon: Seeing the careful growth of the institution and the accolades awarded to students, faculty, and alumni shows that Stevens is a vibrant, growing community geared towards furthering engineering, science, and mathematics in many different important areas of study and business. Alongside a strong Arts and Letters college, where we see major goals being reached and new and innovative ideas being born, it shows commitment to well-rounded innovators exploring new horizons in all areas of study.
Can you share with your fellow young alumni why now is a special time to get involved and support your alma mater?
Kate: Your degree is only one benefit of a Stevens education. Active participation as alumni - by contributing financially and attending events - is another, longer lasting benefit. Just as your studying and internships paid off in grades and jobs, the full benefits of being alumni come to those who get active after graduation.
Jon: I would challenge, when would be a better time? Why pass up the chance to catch up with old friends, learn more about how your gift makes a difference to Stevens, and maybe even open new horizons for yourself as you connect with the new opportunities granted by staying an active member of the Stevens Family.
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