on campus - Article - Manhattan College

34 manhattan.edu
Annual Fund Becomes
Fund for Manhattan
The Fund for Manhattan evolves from
the Annual Fund, as we continue our
ascent to become the premier Catholic
college of New York City. An internal
audit has indicated that Manhattan
can enlarge its culture of philanthropy
through a new understanding with our
constituents — you — our alumni and
friends. It’s a natural extension of our
historical origins. The College was
founded to bring the gift of education
by the Christian Brothers to deserving
young people. In turn, the beneficiaries
create the next link with the future.
If you went to Manhattan, you received
that gift; you are that link. You are the
living legacy we count upon to sustain
that gift of education. This is the reason
Manhattan College exists today.
Within our student body are many who
are the first in their families to go on to
higher education. Were you one of them?
We can all imagine how much easier it
is to raise funds among a group that was
already well-educated before a son or
daughter attended. Our success says
something different than the success of
other institutions; it speaks about faith
and Catholic social justice. We bear
witness to the sacred mission of the
Christian Brothers.
Currently about one-third of our total
alumni contribute to the well-being of
alma mater. Our goal is to raise that
percentage to 40 percent. Just a small
increase in the participation of our
alumni would reap tremendous benefits
to the College, irrespective of the
amounts of the gifts.
Beginning with our graduating classes,
we are building an understanding of how
our legacy works. We ask our alumni to
support the College whenever they can
throughout the stages of their lives,
throughout the year, as an integral part
of their lifestyle.
By contributing, Jaspers make a
statement to other donors, corporations
and foundations that their Manhattan
education is invaluable. We want to involve
more alumni in the Jasper network, so
we invite your suggestions and comments.
We hope more alumni will become active
in the planning stages of events. We are
creating opportunities and informal
committees that will make it easier to
work with us.
Thanks to the support of Manhattan
alumni, you were able to experience a
solid education with all the resources
you needed. Now that you have been
successful out in the world, remember
the support that helped you get where
you are today. Financial contributions
invigorate the College’s ability to provide
activities, facilities, technology and
services for Jaspers of all income levels.
We do this to honor God in the tradition
of the Christian Brothers and for the
good of society.
Your gifts to the Fund for Manhattan
have a direct impact on the College and
the students who live and learn here.
Through your participation in the Fund
for Manhattan, you are shepherding
critical elements that make the Manhattan
experience possible and building a
bridge to the future. Gifts to the Fund
for Manhattan support:
• Financial aid to our students
• Academic excellence
• Campus ministry and social action
• Student activity programming
• Technology initiatives and improvements
• Mentoring and career services
• Physical plant and infrastructure
operating budgets
Manhattan has a limited number of
alumni, parents and friends on which it
can depend. Every one of you is important
to us. Everyone has a place here and a
way to be a part of the future. We want
to include you in more of our operations.
We have new opportunities for you to
build bridges with us. Call Joe Ferraro at
(718) 862-7548 and get involved.
Gerard Caccappolo ’63
Gerard Caccappolo ’63
Chairs the Fund
for Manhattan
I am pleased to introduce myself to
many of my fellow Jaspers with whom
I am not acquainted. I am honored to
take on the chairmanship of the newly
appointed Fund for Manhattan. The
Fund for Manhattan, which was formerly
the Annual Fund, will be the frontline of
support for the College. Every dollar that
goes into the Fund for Manhattan will be
directly reflected in the annual budget
of Manhattan College. I ask my fellow
Jaspers to take this opportunity to make
a strong beginning with this new vehicle
as we approach the new fiscal year.
I intend to make sure that the College
has everything it needs. I am building a
bridge to the future. Please join me.
Did you know that only 25 percent of
the current U.S. population has a college
degree today? I imagine the percentage was
even smaller when I went to Manhattan in
the early ’60s. With every year that goes
by, I am more grateful for my electrical
engineering degree from Manhattan
College. I studied hard at the time, but
it sure has been worth it. I got in at the
bottom of the telecommunications industry
and saw all the changes, for better or
worse, of the past 40 years. My degree
built a bridge to a wonderful life.
A Manhattan College education is a
bridge to a productive adult life. I want
a new generation of Jaspers to walk safely
across their own bridges. This means
making the College the best it can be.
We alums are the maintenance crew that
keeps the bridges in good repair. That is
why I agreed to take on the stewardship
of the Fund for Manhattan. Let me hear
from you about the ways we can improve
support for the Fund for Manhattan.
Build this bridge with me.