Giving money to Trevecca is mutually cheerful only when a positive attitude is reciprocal. If the giver doesn’t realize what others sacrificed to make his or her Trevecca education possible, resentment could be a reasonable response to an appeal for money. If the University doesn’t remember the personal struggle and fortitude that framed each alumni experience at Trevecca, entitlement can be impugned.
So any time I donate bucks and there’s not a good feeling, I do some digging inside. Since giving cheerfully is God’s way, then my lack of cheerfulness usually exposes a truth that needs my personal attention.
At the heart of Give Back Thursday is a handshake between Trevecca and our alumni. As an alumnus, you may be thinking, I get it. Professors and staff sacrificed or there would have been no classes. Donors gave or there would have been no scholarship that helped seal the deal for me.
And the University gets it, too. We know the hours you worked, the student loans you repaid, and the tenacity it took to stick it out. We understand that there were times when you wondered if you’d make it or if it was even worth it.
For most of us, all of that hard work, sacrifice and the long hours were worth it. Our Trevecca education and experience have proven to be some of the most meaningful and defining experiences of our lives. So, this new giving tradition is simply a way to celebrate that—with a lot of lighthearted, mutually enjoyable social media interaction.
On Nov. 3, we’re encouraging you to help us make Give Back Thursday a success by considering how you’ll respond to these questions:
- What if I give $1 for every year since I left campus?
- What if I share a picture or two that are bound to bring a grin to my classmates’ faces?
- What if I shared a brief story about a significant moment when the community we call Trevecca gave me a helpful nudge?
- What if I shared Trevecca’s social media posts about Give Back Thursday so word reaches as many alumni as possible?
Have fun with this. Be cheerful. We all meet at a crossroad of common experience where we acknowledge that someone gave so that we could go to Trevecca. That sacrifice made the whole thing possible.
We can’t wait to share the results of our first-ever Give Back Thursday to those who participate!
Finley Knowles ‘82
Associate Director for Alumni and Church Engagement