Members of the Class of 2003:

You have probably received a letter letting you know our Class Reunion Campaign (CRC) is in full gear. Unbelievably… someone tells me we are only 17 months away from our 10th Year Reunion.

Our primary goal is to raise $100,000 - $62,500 to a Class of 2003 scholarship and the balance to The Citadel Fund (who, as you read in the letter, is in pretty dire need of support right now). In so doing, we hope to achieve 50% participation from our class.

As of this week we now have cash and pledges totaling $69,028.05 toward our goal of $100,000. This comes from only 40 donors. ROMEO has taken the early lead with most contributions-to-date while BAND has the highest participation rate to date.

We are no longer the ‘young’ grads and it’s time for us to step up, take ownership, and help make a difference for our alma mater, The Corps of Cadets, and the legacy of the Class of 2003.

What you may not realize is that we have 3 years after our reunion to pay off pledges made to The Citadel Foundation, meaning you have until Dec. 31, 2016 to fulfill your pledge on behalf of our class.

Give online, now, here: Class of 2003 Giving

(If you would like to designate that your funds be used for The Class of 2003 scholarship, be sure to select Class of 2003 Scholarship from the dropdown menu.)

Don’t forget to find out if your employer has a matching gift program. Search here: Searchable Matching Gift Database

Remember, The Citadel Foundation is a qualified 501(c)(3) organization, and your donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

See you in November (2013).

A Message from the Class of 2003 Committee:

On behalf of our Class of 2003 Reunion Campaign Committee, we would like to thank you for your ongoing support of The Citadel.  It is only with the support and dedication of alumni and friends that the college continues to excel as a distinguished institution.

 As we prepare for our 10th reunion, it is important to recognize that The Citadel has experienced many successes and accomplishments over the years and continues to be recognized as a leader in education.  However, it should not come as a surprise to you that The Citadel is in an increasingly challenging financial situation.

 The State of South Carolina is experiencing budgetary pressures more extreme than many states, and financial support to The Citadel is being cut at an alarming rate.  State support to The Citadel is projected to be 8.8% of the school’s 2011-2012 operations budget (down from 10% of the 2010-2011 budget), and the need for significant fundraising efforts has been recognized as these issues in funding continue.

 After thorough discussions with several of you along with the Foundation’s input, our 10th Class Reunion Campaign’s goal will be $100,000.00 to be allocated as follows:

Class of 2003 Scholarship: Goal of $62,500.00
The scholarship will be awarded to a cadet who possesses attributes in accord with the high standards of The Citadel.
*This project will receive funding first in order to bring immediate life to the scholarship and ensure fulfillment.

The Citadel Fund:  The Citadel has an ongoing (and growing) need for unrestricted support.  Contributions to The Citadel Fund ensure immediate annual dollars available for use by The Citadel.  It is essential that every Class Reunion Campaign will provide support to The Citadel Fund.  
*Once the $62,500 for the Class of 2003 Scholarship has been met, all additional funds designated to the Class of 2003 Class Reunion Campaign will be allocated to The Citadel Fund.

 These projects were selected based on our class’s interests and The Citadel’s greatest needs.  However, you can direct your support to any fund or area on campus if these projects don’t coincide with your philanthropic interests.

 According to the Class Reunion Campaign fundraising guidelines, we have from now until our reunion in November 2013 to pledge this money and the following three years to fulfill our pledge.  With 20 months until our reunion, a great support staff at the Foundation, and a motivated committee, I am confident our class will rise to the occasion and meet our goal.  I will publish periodic updates on our progress via letters as well. Additionally, updates will be made to our Citadel Class of 2003’s Facebook page (search for Citadel Class of 2003). If you are not already a member, reach out to me or request membership, and we will get you added.

Any gift you make during our reunion campaign will help our overall effort.  If you haven’t been an annual contributor ~ now is the time to start giving back to our alma mater.  Our 10th Reunion is the perfect time for the Class of 2003 to make a financial commitment to ensure our legacy at The Citadel.

 In the coming months, our Class Reunion Committee and our Citadel Foundation Development Officer, Molly Waring, will be contacting you to ask for your consideration to make an outright gift, a pledge, and/or a planned gift to meet the goals of our Class Reunion Campaign.  Please contact Molly with any questions you may have regarding our Class Reunion Campaign toll-free at 800-233-1842, directly at 843-953-6716, or via e-mail atmolly.waring@citadel.edu.

Many thanks for your consideration and financial support of The Citadel.

Sincerely,

 Class of 2003 Reunion Campaign Committee

 Frank Llaneza and Will Murray, Reunion Campaign Co-Chairmen

 Bill Casey     Scott Foster      Ashley Garry    Terrence McIntyre         Amanda Orson