Inspired to Give Back
How the Class of 1975 is building on a new Colby tradition
Students from the Class of 1975.
By Katherine Morrison
Colby reunions are a beloved tradition where alumni from various classes come together every five years in June to celebrate. It is a time for alumni to reconnect, hear from President Greene, and reminisce about their time on Mayflower Hill.
When a class celebrates a 50th Reunion, it marks the occasion by coordinating a collective gift to the College. After witnessing the Class of 1974 launch Colby’s first collective class gift as an endowed scholarship fund, members of the Class of 1975 saw an opportunity to honor their milestone reunion with collective impact.
“The beauty of Colby is that you can give in so many different ways,” said Deb Marson ’75. “It made sense to help the next generation of students across the globe gain access to a Colby education.”
The Class of 1975 accepted the challenge from the Class of 1974 and established an endowed scholarship fund to transform the lives of students who could not attend without financial assistance. This generous gift is part of the Colby Commitment that meets 100 percent of financial needs without loans.
With support from the Office of Advancement, the Class of 1975 quickly began organizing outreach, securing seed gifts, and encouraging classmates to give in meaningful ways, through the annual fund, the endowed scholarship, or both.
The Class of 1975 aimed to make their gift distinctive by combining the commitment to raise funds for the scholarship with an ongoing emphasis on supporting the Colby Fund. Laurie Fitts Loosigian ’75, who previously worked in Colby’s Office of Advancement, knew how important the balance would be.
“I would encourage any class to consider running a companion program like we did with the annual fund,” she said. “You’ve got to keep the College running while maintaining scholarships for students to attend.”
The class also brought a personal connection to the collective gift. Many remembered the importance that financial aid had on their college experience. Classmates like Loosigian were able to attend Colby thanks to a scholarship.
“I was lucky I had a mentor at Colby who guided me through the process,” Loosigian said. “That opportunity changed my life measurably.”
Sue Conant Cook ’75 appreciated the idea of a collective gift that would offer classmates a chance to leave a lasting legacy, even if they could not create one on their own.
“It offered our classmates an opportunity to think about making a gift that would be recognized and have a legacy component,” said Cook, drawing from her time in the Office of Advancement. “Maybe they couldn’t set up their own fund, but by contributing to this scholarship fund, future students would greatly benefit, giving them a chance to participate.”
The Class of 1975 Scholarship Fund is part of a growing momentum among Colby alumni to mark milestone reunions with transformational giving. Building on each other’s ideas, the classes are creating new ways to support future generations of Colby students.
“We may not be a wealthy class,” said Loosigian. “But we are a generous one. That was something we could all get behind.”
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