Parent Volunteers
History of the Residential College System
In the early years of the 20th century, Yale was straining at the seams. The student body, from almost 500 students in 1860, had reached some 1,200 in 1899 and more than 3,000 by the 1920s. The physical facilities had not kept pace, and with so many students living and taking meals off campus, the once-strong sense of community within the College was undermined.
In January of 1925, Yale President James R. Angell submitted a plan "dividing the student body into a number of groups somewhat resembling the English colleges" at Oxford and Cambridge. An unusually generous and far-sighted graduate of the Class of 1897, Edward S. Harkness supported the building and endowment of a series of collegiate units, each of which would include members of the faculty and the three upper classes, in addition to its own Master, dining hall, library, activities, and athletics.
In September 1933, the residential college system was inaugurated, and students moved into the first seven colleges. By the early 1960s the colleges totaled twelve in number: Berkeley, Branford, Calhoun, Davenport, Timothy Dwight, Jonathan Edwards, Morse, Pierson, Saybrook, Silliman, Ezra Stiles, and Trumbull.
The system represents Yale's answer to the question of how best to combine living and learning. The dimensions of the college enhance the opportunity for communication, sharing, identification, and belonging. Undergraduates and faculty through the years have agreed that the residential collegiate spirit is the element that makes Yale unique among institutions of higher learning.
Who are Parent Volunteers?
Parent volunteers are ambassadors of goodwill promoting a cause they believe worthwhile: the education and welfare of students at Yale.
All Yale volunteers share an active interest in the University, but parent volunteers also share the special bond of parenting a Yale student. The parent volunteer structure offers a wonderful opportunity to build on this common bond and to connect with fellow Yale parents, creating a network of support for Yale, for the students, and for each other.
Beth and Stuart Yudofsky P’03,’06,’10 are the Chairs of the Parents Annual Fund. They have been involved as volunteers since their oldest daughter entered Yale in 1999. As enthusiastic Yale parents they participate in the Parents Fund as well as University activities and programs.
Roles/Duties
Working together with the Yale Office of Development staff, parent volunteers strive to:
- Cultivate relationships with fellow parents and encourage increased involvement with Yale.
- Match donors' interests with Yale's highest priorities.
Volunteers accomplish these goals by getting to know fellow parents in their group, through letters, phone calls, and occasional events.
Alongside understanding the interests and concerns of group members, it is also important that volunteers keep their fellow parents informed and up-to-date on current Yale happenings. Office of Development staff, the Yale Daily News, and the Yale University website, are all excellent, readily available resources that parent volunteers should feel free to use.
Visit these helpful sites for more information on the latest on Yale and New Haven:
Yale Daily News
Yale Bulletin & Calendar
Residential Colleges
Student Organizations
Yale Athletics
Yale Directory
Visiting Yale
Key Dates 2007– 2008
| Wednesday, September 5 |
Fall term classes begin at 8:30 a.m. |
| Friday–Sunday, October 5–7 |
Parents Weekend |
| Saturday, December 22 | Exams end; winter recess begins at 5:30 p.m. |
| Monday, January 14 | Spring term classes begin 8:30 a.m. |
| Friday, March 7 | Spring recess begins at 5:20 p.m. |
| Monday, March 24 | Classes resume at 8:30 a.m. |
| Tuesday, May 13 | Exams end at 5:30 p.m. |
Types of Support
Capital Gifts
Donors may choose to make contributions toward specific University needs in areas that match the donors' personal interests. Capital gifts can be made over a three-to-five-year period in support of endowed or current use funds and are above and beyond Annual Fund gifts. Whether funding much-needed facility renovations or establishing a scholarship or teaching fund supporting the Dean's or President's Resource Funds, there are many ways in which capital gifts can enhance the campus and provide new opportunities for students.
Planned Gifts
Among the various ways of structuring a capital gift, donors are encouraged to consider deferred giving options. These planned gifts allow donors to make substantial contributions in ways that benefit themselves and Yale. Donors who wish to make planned gifts should consult with their financial advisers and with members of the Yale University Office of Development.
Annual Gifts
The Yale Parents Annual Fund was established by the Alumni Fund over four decades ago to involve parents of Yale students in the annual giving process. Annual Fund gifts from current Yale parents go directly toward enhancing student life in the residential colleges to which their children belong. Annual Fund gifts from past parents are directed to the University's most pressing financial needs.
The Nathan Hale Associates
Leadership Recognition Levels for Unrestricted Current Use Annual Giving
The Nathan Hale Associates Program was founded in 1994 to encourage and recognize increased Annual Fund contributions. The program is the University's way of acknowledging the many individuals whose most generous gifts have helped nurture the dynamic, creative environment that is integral to the Yale experience.
Why join the Nathan Hale Associates?
Uphold the Yale tradition of giving
The Nathan Hale Associates join a proud tradition almost 300 years old, representing
a distinguished group of contributors willing to support and encourage
excellence.
Set an example
Participants in the Nathan Hale Associates Program are acknowledged in Yale
publications. Their leadership serves to inspire the efforts of all at
Yale to provide the very best opportunities in higher education.
All parents are invited to join the Nathan Hale Associates Program in the following giving categories:
| President's Council | |
| • Fourth Century Circle | $50,000 and above |
| • Woodbridge Circle | $25,000 – $49,999 |
| Hillhouse Associates | $15,000 – $24,999 |
| Sterling Associates | $10,000 – $14,999 |
| Harkness Associates | $5,000 – $9,999 |
| Elihu Yale Associates | $2,500 – $4,999 |
| Woolsey Associates | $1,000 – $2,499 |
Increase your contribution at no additional cost to you!
Some companies will match charitable gifts. You can obtain a matching gift form from your Personnel or Human Resources Manager. Complete the requested information and return the form with your contribution. Note: Some companies also match spouses' gifts.
Who was Nathan Hale?
A member of Yale's graduating Class of 1773, Nathan Hale served as a Revolutionary soldier in Cambridge, New York, and New London and eventually volunteered to be a spy under General Washington's direction.
Disguised as a schoolmaster, he found his way into the British camps in Brooklyn and New York. He was recognized while attempting to return and arrested. His papers were found in his shoes — among them his Yale diploma. Before being executed on September 22, 1776, his last words were: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
For further information, contact:
Stephen Clark
Director, Parents Giving
Phone: (203) 432-1934
Fax: (203) 432-5685
E-mail: stephen.clark@yale.eduLainie Lipsher
Associate Director, Parents Annual Giving
Phone: (203) 432-5851
Fax: (203) 432-5685
E-mail: lainie.lipsher@yale.eduYale University
Office of Development
P.O. Box 2038
New Haven, CT 06521-2038
