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Numerous events, fundraisers and community-building activities will highlight the 2006-07 Pard Pride campaign, which kicks off with the Unity Dinner Sept. 3.
The ongoing initiative, which began in 2005 and is supported by the Division of College Relations and Development, is meant to instill a sense of tradition and spirit in Lafayette students through bonding with classmates, alumni, and members of the college community.
“The goal of Pard Pride is to communicate to our students the importance of their relationship with the college, alumni, and their classmates, and being involved in their community,” says Debbie Rhebergen ’03, assistant director of the annual fund. “It is our hope that Lafayette students graduate and become active participants in their communities, through both volunteerism and philanthropy, and also that they understand how special their relationship with Lafayette and its alumni can be.”
Forming a partnership among numerous campus departments and organizations, Pard Pride has a number of goals and events focusing on specific student class years.
First year students will join in activities looking at class unity, community involvement, and college traditions, which will set a solid base for their time as undergrads and future as alumni.
These activities include a performance by hypnotist Tom DeLuca during the 2010 Orientation program Aug. 25-27, the Unity Dinner Sept. 3, the Alumni Association Induction, and various other spirit and educational events throughout the year.
At the Unity Dinner, students will hear about places of interest both on and off campus, learn the traditions and songs of Lafayette, and get to know their fellow classmates. The class will also choose a charitable organization which will become its “adopted” cause. The alumni induction is a second semester event where students officially become alumni.
Students in their sophomore year will focus on forming a class identity and real world connections by networking. This will be done through events and workshops exploring how to use Lafayette’s alumni network to find jobs, internships, and externships. Panels of students will be chosen to travel to numerous alumni chapter events both in the Lehigh Valley and in their local area during breaks. Events and fundraisers will also be formed to support the adopted cause.
The theme for the Class of 2008 will incorporate the idea of community involvement. Activities will include continued volunteering and students will also be eligible to receive internship stipends funded by the senior class.
The senior year for the Class of 2007 will focus on forming a lifetime bond with Lafayette and classmates and preparing students for life after graduation.
The Orientation to Life (O2L) program has young alumni contact senior class members to provide guidance on the transition from campus life. An online community is formed for seniors to stay connected. The Annual Senior Class Gift effort is used to fund internship stipends for current Lafayette students. There will also be many farewell events as well as an exchange of future contact information.
Besides the many activities directed at students in particular years, there are also a number of publications and other sponsored events meant to further the initiative.
Pard Pride will also be an active part of 1,000 Nights, Homecoming, the Block pARTy, 100 Nights, Lafapalooza, Student Athlete Day, and Senior Week, among other campus events.