History of the Sophomore Class Gift

In the spring of 2004, an alumni couple from the early ‘80s came up with the idea to begin the tradition of giving a Sophomore Class Gift. The purpose of this new tradition was to cultivate a philanthropic understanding among Vassar students before their senior year. In order to aid in getting this program off the ground, the alumni couple challenged the Class of 2007 with a donation of $10,000 toward a project of the students’ choosing.

The Class of 2007 leadership rose to the challenge and chose to replace the original bell atop Main Building, which had suffered major damages over its tenure. Raising a total of $2,980 with 30% participation, the class met the challenge put forth by the alumni couple. In October of 2005, the new bell was installed, and, according to tradition, members of the Class of 2007 christened their gift in April, ringing in as the new senior class after spring convocation. The original bell is now displayed outside of Main Building to preserve its place in Vassar’s history.

The Class of 2008 raised the bar with the second annual Sophomore Class Gift, raising $4,310 from 50% of the class. Again, the alumni challengers gave $10,000 to the class gift, which was designated to create an Internship Grant Fund, designed to supplement unpaid internships for students. The 20% increase in class participation speaks to the rapid success of the program and the great potential for the future of the Sophomore Class Gift.

For those on campus, it’s hard to miss the Class of 2009 Sophomore Class Gift’s Shared Bike Program, now commonly known as The Pink Bikes. The Class of 2009 again raised the bar for Sophomore Class Gifts, raising $5,396 from 54% of their class. Paul Lehman ’86 challenged the class to achieve their fundraising goals and contributed an additional $5,000 for the project. Members of the Shared Bike Program can now unlock and ride any one of approximately 40 bikes anywhere on or off campus.