Current students and alumni are encouraged to nurture their ties with the University through service and philanthropy.
They stood out in the crowd this weekend — graduates wearing red-and-white cords and red tassels.
They are members of the 1852 Society, a new group that engages students and alumni at California University of Pennsylvania in several ways.
The society takes the Class Gift Drive, which has raised more than $140,000 toward student scholarships, and adds a spirit of volunteerism and fun to build a legacy at Cal U.
Members are asked to support the gift drive through recurring subscriptions. Students and alumni are encouraged to volunteer during at least one community service event. Alumni are invited to come back to campus for special events like Homecoming and to stay engaged with the Alumni Association.
“When you graduate from Cal U, you join a family that has 58,000 members,” said Ryan Barnhart, director of Alumni Relations.
“We want to send the message that with involvement comes a greater connection to the University," said Randi Minerva, manager of annual giving programs at Cal U. "The 1852 Society was established to encourage and foster the core value of responsibility as students and throughout their lives as alumni.”