Want evidence that class spirit is alive and well at William and Mary? Then look no further than 2003's reunions. Thanks to members of 10 reunion classes and over 200 reunion gift and activity committee members, a total of $5.93 million in gifts and commitments was raised for the College. Of that total, a record-breaking $2.46 million supports the Fund for William and Mary, which provides unrestricted funds to help meet the critical needs of students and faculty.

"These class reunion gifts say so much about William and Mary alumni," says Dennis Cross, vice president for university development. "Our alumni care deeply about the College, and are willing to devote considerable amounts of time, effort and money to honor the past and build a great future for today's students."

Laura Flippin '92, a member of the Fund for William and Mary board of directors who co-chaired her class reunion gift in 2002, is impressed by the increase in reunion giving. "In just five years, the reunion program has more than doubled the amount of unrestricted dollars raised for the College," she says. "This is a major achievement for the classes celebrating reunions in 2003 and a vital part of the Campaign for William and Mary."

The College's $500 million campaign benefits significantly from the Reunion Giving Program, which is designed primarily to increase giving to the Fund for William and Mary and to promote awareness of the importance of alumni support. At each year's Homecoming, reunion classes announce three results: the total amount of money raised for the Fund for William and Mary; the total amount of money raised for all areas of the College, including gifts to Athletics and the graduate and professional programs; and class participation.

To help reach their goals, reunion chairs rely on hard work and a little help from their friends. Reunion Gift Chair Patricia King Sell '58, for instance, was elated when fellow committee member Alan Miller '58 offered to match new gifts and pledges to their class's reunion effort. "Alan's generosity really energized our class -- allowing us to more than double $35,000 in new gifts," she says.

Indeed, that increase allowed the Class of 1958 to establish a new record for 45th reunion giving, for which it received the Class of 1925 Trophy at Homecoming. The award recognizes the class with the most outstanding increase in giving to the Fund for William and Mary over the previous year's effort.

The increase in reunion gifts points to the larger role private contributions are playing in the life of the College. Speaking to alumni donors at Homecoming, Vice President for Student Affairs Sam Sadler '64, M.Ed. '71 said, "We used to talk about how private giving created that extra margin of excellence. Now such funds are vital because the College has reached the point where private giving is so substantial that it supports the heart of what we do."

Meet the "Super Chair"
"I love goals," says Bob Blair '68, chair of the Class of 1968 35th Reunion Gift Committee.

Blair not only loves goals, he loves surpassing them and setting even bigger ones. Easily reaching an initial target of $368,000 by April 2003, the Class of 1968 committee set a stretch goal of $419,680. By Homecoming, they had raised an amazing $1,461,900 for the College (a record for reunion giving other than the 50th Reunion), including $484,455 for the Fund for William and Mary.

"The Class of 1968 is unique," says Blair, affectionately dubbed "Super Chair" by his friends. "The success of this class gift is an objective manifestation of that uniqueness."

Blair attributes his class's success to three things: a rebounding stock market, awareness that the Commonwealth is providing insufficient funding to the College, and, most importantly, excitement about the Campaign for William and Mary.

Reunion Gift Officer Pam Michael '65 is quick to direct credit closer to home. "Bob kept me and the whole committee focused and committed to reaching new heights," she says. "It truly is the dedication of alumni like Bob that keep the sights and standards of this College so high."

A mathematics major and tennis star who was active in student and College politics and who later studied law at the University of Virginia, Blair served his class in various leadership capacities for many years before agreeing to head up his 35th Reunion Gift Committee. And although his class set a 35th reunion giving record that will be hard to beat, he has great expectations for the future.

"I hope other classes will look at what we've done and break all of our records," he says with a smile.