Lehigh University:

Parents’ Giving Program Overview

The Lehigh Parents’ Giving Program was formalized more than 20 years ago when parents asked for engagement opportunities. Lehigh has been fortunate to have some notable parents believe in the Lehigh experience and lead the effort to expand the program including Tom Kean ’93P, former governor of New Jersey, Laura and E. Packer Wilbur ’93P, ’94P (Packer Wilbur is the great, great nephew of Asa Packer), and Marilyn and Dan Quayle ’95P.

The purpose of the parents giving program is to provide parents with meaningful opportunities to fulfill their Lehigh philanthropic goals. Parents have supported Lehigh in a variety of ways including financial aid and scholarship, athletics partnership, building projects and others. While support to Lehigh’s highest priority of financial aid and scholarship is encouraged, giving to a special interest, such as Lehigh Athletics Partnership, is always welcome.

The giving program has defined three areas of opportunity. The heart of the giving program is the Lehigh Fund, which provides annual support to enrich the Lehigh experience. Within the Lehigh Fund, leadership gift opportunities exist in the Asa Packer Society. For parents who are interested in both leadership giving and service to the university with a more personalized relationship, the Lehigh Parents’ Council exists.

For more information about the Lehigh Parents’ Giving Program, please contact:
Victoria Penske Aitchison ’92
Director of Development, Parents Program
610-758-5949 or vpa@lehigh.edu

Lehigh Fund
The annual support of the Lehigh Fund by parents and grandparents makes the Lehigh experience possible for today’s young men and women.
Your generosity to the Lehigh Fund:
• Ensures the best students can afford to attend Lehigh, regardless of financial background. These young people will undoubtedly go on to make a difference in our world with their leadership and knowledge.
• Enriches the Lehigh learning and living experience. Your generosity provides resources for academic, athletic, and student life programs that keep Lehigh
  competitive with its peers.
• Enhances the value of the Lehigh degree.

Asa Packer Society
Since 1865, Lehigh has maintained its tradition of excellence, thanks to Asa Packer Society members. Membership in the Asa Packer Society begins at $1,000. All annual and capital gifts, as well as matching gifts, are counted toward your level of membership.

Asa Packer Benefits
All Society members continue to enjoy special benefits, invitations and access to a powerful network of like-minded alumni who believe firmly in the university's value. President's and Founder's Associates will enjoy enhanced engagement through presidential communications and exclusive events. Associates who support financial aid - Lehigh's top priority - will also see the impact of their generosity when they meet the talented students their gifts support.


Asa Packer Impact
An annual gift of $25,000 at the Founder’s Associate level provides the university with enough support to:
• Fulfill a student's financial aid need for a full year
• Bring to Lehigh a graduate assistant or an assistant coach
• Enable ten students to travel internationally for coursework

An annual gift of $10,000 at the President’s Associates level provides the university with enough support to:
• Fulfill a student's financial aid need for a semester
• Run a visiting lecture series for a college
• Cover the costs for a coach to travel nationally to recruit top-tier, Division I athletes

Gifts at the Society Associates level provide the university with critical funding to meet Lehigh's greatest needs, and add up to make a tremendous difference to students.
• An annual gift of $7,500 covers the cost of an annual student affairs conference, helps establish a part-time coaching position, or defrays the cost of a community service trip for students
• An annual gift of $5,000 provides gear for an athletics team for a year
• An annual gift of $1,000 provides software for several campus computers
• 10 gifts of $1,000 meet a student's financial aid need for almost a semester
• 10 gifts of $2,500 meet a student's financial aid need for almost a year

Parents’ Council
A valuable way to share in your son or daughter's Lehigh experience is to join the Lehigh Parents' Council, an advisory and advocacy group whose members serve as ambassadors on behalf of the university. Members are primarily parents of undergraduate students, and from time to time, parents of recent graduates.

The Lehigh Parents Council meets once each semester. The fall meeting coincides with Family Weekend and the spring meeting is typically in March. The Council meets with senior Lehigh leadership and faculty members to discuss critical topics that impact student life and Lehigh.

More than 50 families participate in the Lehigh Parents’ Council, making leadership gifts to the university through our Giving Program, which strengthens the student experience. Last year, members contributed over $500,000 to the university.

Lehigh Parents’ Council members are annually asked to:
• Make a leadership gift to the Lehigh Fund or the Lehigh priority of choice at one of the following levels:
  - Founder’s Associate – gifts of $25,000 or more
  - President’s Associate – gifts of $10,000 to $24,999
  - Parents’ Council – gifts of $5,000 to $9,999
• Educate fellow Lehigh parents about the importance of supporting the university through both time and philanthropy.
• Help build relationships between Lehigh parents and the university, and promote the university to friends and fellow parents
• Provide university administrators with valuable insight into the Lehigh undergraduate experience.
• Attend at least one committee per year to demonstrate support.
• Participate in a service activity, such as:
  - Call to welcome new families and to thank parent donors
  - Identify and recruit members to the Parents’ Council
  - Extend invitations for prospective members to attend cultivation events
  - Advise the senior class gift committee
  - Serve as a greeter at select Family Weekend events
  - Guide students in art of networking during a mock session

Parents’ Council Family Weekend Activities ~ November 4-6, 2011
Friday ~ Lehigh Parents’ Council Members Meeting
Saturday ~ Parents’ Council hosts President Alice P. Gast welcome to all families
Saturday ~ Parents’ Council hosts football tailgate for interested parents

Parents' Information
For more information, please contact Victoria Penske Aitchison '92, Director of Development for the Parents' Program, at 610-758-5142, 1-800-523-0562 or vlp292@lehigh.edu.

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