A campaign from the OSU Foundation is encouraging students to get involved with philanthropy before their time in Stillwater is over.

The Senior Class Gift campaign is designed to inspire graduating seniors to begin leaving their legacy at OSU by making a gift that will benefit all students on campus.

This year, all contributions will go to the Cowboy Strong Student Emergency Fund. It provides financial assistance to students experiencing an unforeseen hardship that could impact their ability to stay in school, such as accidents, illness or death of a family member. Cowboy Strong funds are designed to offset short-term financial need and allow students to continue their education at OSU.

Kodie Gough, an intern in annual giving at the OSU Foundation and member of the OSU Student Foundation, has led the charge for this year’s Senior Class Gift campaign. She decided to let the student body guide this year’s campaign by implementing a voting system.

“I wanted to get a better idea of what my fellow students are needing,” Gough said. “The entire student body had the opportunity to vote for which fund the campaign would benefit, and we got great feedback. The Cowboy Strong Student Emergency Fund won over 50% of the votes.”

Although anyone can give to the campaign, it hopes to secure gifts from 150 student donors and spark student involvement in philanthropy. Gough added her personal goal is to raise awareness about the Cowboy Strong Fund so that more students feel secure that they can receive support if they encounter a crisis.

Last year’s campaign, which supported the Food Insecurity Fund, raised more than $43,000 that has helped increase awareness and make strides toward ending food insecurity at OSU.

“With the Senior Class Gift campaign, it’s been really exciting to see how willing the student body is to support future generations of students,” said Adrian Matthys, assistant vice president of annual giving. “The Cowboy family is incredibly selfless, and I hope this campaign will remain a tradition at OSU for years to come. It’s a great opportunity for students to leave their mark on campus.”

Click here to make your contribution to the Senior Class Gift campaign.