To celebrate their 50th reunion, the Class of 1973 has been working in conjunction with the Advancement Office to organize the Class of 1973 Fund for Environmental Sustainability and Education, supporting “current and future environmental sustainability and education efforts,” as stated by Peter Van Oot ’73 P’05,’ 09, ’12 in a letter, shared by Director of the Annual Fund Kellie Houston, to be attached to his class’s 50th reunion yearbook. During the Class of 1973’s freshman spring, on April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day celebration took place, setting the stage for a nationwide push towards a more sustainable future and collective awareness of the dire consequences that climate change may present in the future. Therefore, the substantial reform that emerged in the class’s early years meant that it only made sense to look toward the environment when identifying a topical cause to support.
While members of the Deerfield community can always contribute to the school, according to Ms. Houston, this 50th reunion fundraising effort “is an especially meaningful milestone that inspires many alumni to give as part of their celebration and re-engagement with Deerfield.” Ms. Houston added, it allows alumni to “leave a legacy to the school,” and fundraising is one of the areas in which they aspire to realize that goal. She added that several programs are in place to facilitate Deerfield’s continuing engagement with its graduates, including the Advancement Ambassadors. This group of student volunteers interviews for the chance to assist Advancement staff with on-campus events. These events range from taking visitors to classes and lunch to serving as a moderator for the presentations of awards at School Meeting. The Advancement Office also engages Deerfield alumni in many ways beyond fundraising, as members of the department travel across the country for numerous receptions.
Furthermore, the committee of class members made up of Class Volunteers is instrumental in encouraging other alumni to contribute. Some stay involved by brainstorming ideas for giving back to Deerfield, a place they largely remember for meeting lifelong friends and making countless memories. They not only reach out to former classmates and peers when starting fundraisers but also gather support for class reunions and events. Much of their job in conjunction with the Advancement Office is to lay down the rationale for raising funds.
For example, when planning the Class of 1973 Fund for Environmental Sustainability and Education, Mr. Van Oot stated in the aforementioned letter that “our generation is passing on a much bigger challenge to our children, grandchildren, and future generations: the existential threat of climate change, and the need to develop positive solutions.” Mrs. Houston said that assistance from alumni like him in “explaining where the impetus for the fund came from” was fundamental to building up support.
The tradition of donating through special funds is longstanding; that being said, the way donors contribute gifts on a larger scale has shifted somewhat in the past 50 years. According to Mrs. Houston, many donors in the past notably “had a trust in venerable institutions” and were quite willing to fully entrust schools like Deerfield with the allocation of their resources. However, she says that since the 1960s, donors have “wanted to know exactly where [money was] going” more so than their predecessors. Part of this agreement is a push for more focus surrounding the funds’ objectives. For example, the Class of 1973’s Case for Support acknowledges the preexisting environmental infrastructure at Deerfield, like LEED-certified buildings, the “Think 80/20” recycling program, and the dining hall’s sustainable practices, all of which the fund hopes to expand on.
Lastly, part of the donation collection process lies in correspondence between the Advancement Office and Deerfield’s administration. Director of Development & Alumni Relations Rachel Moore explained that part of her department’s job was to “work with [Head of School] John Austin and Matt Sheehy, the Chief Financial Officer, to make sure that [they were] on the same page.” Since donors that are keenly interested in where their donations go may have different interests from the school, it’s important that the Deerfield administration strike a balance between their aspirations and Deerfield’s longer-term goals.
Overall, the Class of 1973’s fund is a way for Deerfield alumni to cherish their own experiences in the Valley while staying anchored to America’s past. It relies on smooth communication between graduates, students, and faculty but hopes most to let it be known that environmental sustainability is a cause worth supporting.