Saint John's Student Fund Raises $3M for 4th Consecutive Year

Saint John’s University raised $3,105,887 for the 2020-21 Student Fund. It was the fourth consecutive year that donors gave more than $3 million for current scholarships for Saint John’s undergraduate students. It also marks the second-highest total raised for the Student Fund behind last year’s record of $3,136,192.

“I want to thank everyone who gave to this year’s Student Fund,” said David Moe ’94, president of the Saint John's Alumni Association in 2020-21. “This year featured a myriad of challenges due to COVID-19. Yet, alumni, parents and friends stood up for Saint John’s in support of student scholarships. The generosity from Student Fund donors directly impacts our student body and the opportunities afforded to Johnnies on campus.”

The Saint John’s Board of Trustees led the way, collectively giving $270,400 to the Student Fund. Overall, 4,256 donors supported the Student Fund, including 3,576 Saint John's alumni.

“I especially want to recognize the alumni volunteers who led their classes to this year’s participation, donors, dollars and Fellows numbers,” Moe said.

Reunion Alumni and Spouses

Despite Reunion 2021 being postponed to 2022, reunion class committees continued their class gift campaigns in support of the Student Fund.

Alumni classes in a reunion year in 2021 (the 5th through the 60th reunions) contributed $462,081 toward the Student Fund from 677 donors.

The 40th reunion Class of 1981’s gift to the Student Fund totaled $86,385 – the largest gift of all Reunion classes. The 50^th reunion Class of 1971 led the way in donors with 92. The Class of 1971 also had the highest Student Fund participation rate of all Reunion classes – 31.19%.

The reunion classes of 1971 (14), 1996 (14), and 1986 (nine) had the three largest increases in Student Fund donors over last fiscal year.

All Alumni and Spouses

The Class of 1970 once again led all classes in dollars raised to the Student Fund, giving $137,487. The Class of 1975 gave the next largest amount, totaling $104,447 for student scholarships. The Class of 1963’s total of $97,255 was third highest, followed by the classes of 1965 and 1981 which gave $89,580 and $86,385, respectively.

The classes of 1980 and 1982 tied for the most Fellows Society donors, with 27 classmates giving at the Walter Reger Fellows level – $1,000 or more to the Student Fund.

The top six classes in Student Fund donors were 1974 (99), 1972 (93), 1975 (93), 1983 (93), 1969 (92), and 1971 (92).

Nine classes met their Student Fund donor goals this fiscal year – 1974, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1996, 2001, and 2005.

Volunteers

The Alumni Association Board of Directors met 100% participation to the Student Fund. Collectively, the 46-member Board contributed $42,765 in Student Fund support.

Parents

176 current parents of Saint John's students contributed $75,587 to the Student Fund in 2020-21.

946 parents of SJU alumni supported the Student Fund, giving $802,961 for scholarships.

Background

The Student Fund supports scholarships for current undergraduate Saint John's students, 98% of whom received scholarships or financial aid. The specific awards funded by the Student Fund include Trustees’, President’s, Dean’s, Art, Music, Theatre, Legacy, out-of-state, and Catholic high school scholarships.