Watch: Sarah Tupchong '17

Hi, I’m Sarah Anne Tupchong, Class of 2017, and I am the co-president, with Bobby, of the Student Philanthropy Council.

I know that you’re all eager to get to the free food and dancing, but I want to close today’s program by letting you know how you can participate in the campaign.

Changing Lives, Changing the World is going to do incredible things for the College and for the students who come after us.

For me, philanthropy and giving back holds special meaning because I’ve been afforded many opportunities that have shaped my Swarthmore experience. Last year, I received a generous Swarthmore Summer Research Fellowship grant, which allowed me to attend an intensive opera program in Florence, Italy! This experience is just one of many that would not have been possible without the generosity of others.

We now have an opportunity to pay it forward, to come together as a community, and do our part for this place that has done so much for us.

There are few ways you can do that. First, you can share you own Swarthmore story on social media using the hashtags #lifechangingSwarthmore and #worldchangingSwarthmore.

Second, if you’re a student, you can join the Student Philanthropy Council, apply to become a Phonathon caller, or work at Alumni Weekend. All of these opportunities give you a chance to give back while gaining valuable networking experience with alums. If you’re a senior, you can also give back by making a senior class gift today and help us Break Val’s Bank before graduation.

Finally - and this is really exciting - everyone here today, and all alumni, parents, and friends around the world, can participate in a very special challenge next month. The key to meeting this challenge is participation, because as President Smith and Dean Duncan-Smith explained, inclusivity is central to this campaign.

The challenge, which honors the year of the College’s founding, will begin at noon on April 26 and end at precisely 7:04 p.m. the next day. This computes to a total of 1800 and 64 minutes: 1864.

Our goal in these 1800 and 64 minutes is to secure gifts from 1,864 people—one per minute. It doesn’t matter how much you give, but simply the act of giving; the goal is to have full participation!

Now WHEN—not if—WHEN we reach this goal, an anonymous board member and spouse will make an additional $1 million gift to the campaign. 

So mark your calendars for April 26 and 27. And remember, your contribution, in any amount, could help us get a $1 million challenge gift.

When Swatties come together to work toward a goal, anything is possible. And that’s the essence of what Changing Lives, Changing the World celebrates.

Now, please enjoy this short video about how Swarthmore changes students’ lives, including my own!