The Senior Challenge
The Senior Challenge program was established for students, by students in the Spring of 2006. Every semester since then, upcoming graduates have made gifts to Eastern Kentucky University through donations to the Alumni Fund for Scholarships. The Senior Challenge Program is a way that EKU Seniors can proclaim to all those who came before them that they are ready to carry on the tradition of leadership and service to others. It's a way of giving back, a way of saying thank you and a way of symbolically making the transition from student to alumnus.
What is Senior Challenge?
The Senior Challenge is an opportunity for senior classes to continue an EKU tradition of excellence by helping raise money for student scholarships. It is a chance for Seniors to leave their mark on Eastern Kentucky University and show their appreciation for the many opportunities EKU has and continues to provide them. Gifts of any size from the senior class support the Alumni Fund for Scholarships (AFS), which helps future students attend Eastern and gives current students access to leadership training. EKU is one of the first universities in Kentucky to have a student giving program. We are setting the trend for other major universities!
Why should YOU participate?
Supporting EKU increases the value of the diploma you'll receive here as well as helping future students. Publications such as U.S. News and World Report consider the percentage of graduating seniors and alumni who give back as a factor in determining national rankings. This factor is not the amount of money raised, but instead the percentage of alumni and senior classes who give back -- so $1 counts as much as $100. The higher EKU’s ranking, the better respected our alma mater is. Most importantly, this program is about students, for students, and run by students!
How can YOU participate?
In order for the Senior Challenge to be a success, we all need to help set the standard for future classes. The goal of the Senior Challenge Committee is to have 18 percent of the senior class make gifts at any level. You can support the Senior Challenge online through our secure site by clicking here, or by calling Matt Raby or Amanda Lazaro or Jey Marks at the Alumni Relations Office at 859-622-1260.
Participants in the Senior Challenge are recognized at these levels:
Eternal Colonel - $75 & Up
Honored Maroon - $50 to $74.99
Distinguished Senior - $25 to $49.99
Participant - $1 to $24.99