Seniors Kick Off Class Campaign

The Class of 2006 kicked off their Senior Class Campaign for Cornell last night by pledging to establish a new scholarship for future seniors and solicit contributions from at least half of this year’s graduating class. The Class of 2006 Scholarship will match 1,000 small student donations with a $25,000 endowment from the Lindseth family.

Interim President Hunter R. Rawlings III and Trustee Carolyn Chauncey Neuman ’64 encouraged 60 campus leaders selected from the Class of 2006 to participate in the ‘Lindseth Challenge’ by organizing and volunteering for phone-a-thons to collect donations.

While the scholarship will specifically benefit one senior each year for the next 50 years, the contributions collected from the graduating class will be used to meet “emerging needs at the University,” said Michael Zuckerman ’06, co-president of the Alumni Class of 2006.

Many of the speakers noted the dual purpose achieved by the campaign: to leave a gift for Cornell and to maximize participation between the senior class and the University.

“I believe that staying connected with Cornell is good for you,” said Neuman, who advised students to “return to Ithaca often – as often as possible – because Cornell’s treasures will always be waiting for you.”

“You have become the university; you are the university; you make the university what it is,” said Andrew Lindseth ’79, speaking on behalf of his siblings and parents, Jon A. and Virginia M. Lindseth ’56. “Now, you’re about to become the future of the university,” Lindseth added, encouraging seniors to “become part of a tradition of support for education.”

The Senior Class Campaign chose to emphasize the tradition highlighted by Lindseth by establishing the lasting scholarship.

Rawlings said that he hoped “one of you [seniors], 50 years from now