Comments on: Saving Berea http://thehardestyear.com/2009/07/saving-berea/ The stories of ordinary Americans facing the hardest year. Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:28:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: MR http://thehardestyear.com/2009/07/saving-berea/comment-page-1/#comment-65 MR Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:19:22 +0000 http://thehardestyear.com/?p=672#comment-65 Good answer, GP. I think the fact that most of Berea's donors are non-alumni is a testament to the power of the College's mission. People all over the country - many of whom have never even stepped foot on campus - simply believe in the work the College does and invest in these students' lives. To offer a little more info: in 1920, the College's trustees decided that every unrestricted bequest the College received would be placed into the endowment and the principle wouldn't be touched. Many people give modestly to Berea during their lifetimes and make their "ultimate" gifts through their estates. This policy has propelled the endowment to the point where the College is able to offer tuition-free education to students. Bequests are precious to the College and meaningful to donors because their estate gifts generate income for Berea students in perpetuity. Talk about leaving a legacy! Good answer, GP. I think the fact that most of Berea’s donors are non-alumni is a testament to the power of the College’s mission. People all over the country – many of whom have never even stepped foot on campus – simply believe in the work the College does and invest in these students’ lives.

To offer a little more info: in 1920, the College’s trustees decided that every unrestricted bequest the College received would be placed into the endowment and the principle wouldn’t be touched. Many people give modestly to Berea during their lifetimes and make their “ultimate” gifts through their estates. This policy has propelled the endowment to the point where the College is able to offer tuition-free education to students. Bequests are precious to the College and meaningful to donors because their estate gifts generate income for Berea students in perpetuity. Talk about leaving a legacy!

]]> By: GP http://thehardestyear.com/2009/07/saving-berea/comment-page-1/#comment-54 GP Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:25:47 +0000 http://thehardestyear.com/?p=672#comment-54 In response to Michael and whomever may wonder the same, as far as I know, the endowment comes mostly from alumni and other donors who truly believe in the mission of the college. It's the president's job to seek them out. What they probably failed to mention is that Berea provides a Christian-based education, which may have something to do with the generosity of those graduates who make it big later (and many do). As a graduate myself, I feel it would almost be a crime not to lift up a kid who is in the position I once were in. Every student is an asset the college and the region. It's like a big circle - the "Berea Bubble", it's called :-D. In response to Michael and whomever may wonder the same, as far as I know, the endowment comes mostly from alumni and other donors who truly believe in the mission of the college. It’s the president’s job to seek them out. What they probably failed to mention is that Berea provides a Christian-based education, which may have something to do with the generosity of those graduates who make it big later (and many do). As a graduate myself, I feel it would almost be a crime not to lift up a kid who is in the position I once were in. Every student is an asset the college and the region. It’s like a big circle – the “Berea Bubble”, it’s called :-D .

]]> By: Michael http://thehardestyear.com/2009/07/saving-berea/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Michael Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:24:42 +0000 http://thehardestyear.com/?p=672#comment-50 Fascinating piece. I had no idea there was an even quasi-free school. But I don't understand how the tuition is free. Where does the endowment come from if the school doesn't solicit money from graduates? Fascinating piece. I had no idea there was an even quasi-free school. But I don’t understand how the tuition is free. Where does the endowment come from if the school doesn’t solicit money from graduates?

]]> By: Beth http://thehardestyear.com/2009/07/saving-berea/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Beth Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:28:12 +0000 http://thehardestyear.com/?p=672#comment-48 I attend Berea College and honestly I do have to pay some to go to Berea but it is technically for my room and board which I still have to borrow money to attend school. I am a first generation college student in my family and without Berea I would be in debt up to my eyeballs even though I was offered full scholarships to four other schools across the country. Most of the students that do attend Berea must pay some amount for their room and board. Several of the other students I have talked to have said they would not mind paying a little more to help keep the jobs of the staff and faculty. Of the people who were eliminated this past school year their jobs are being put onto the student labor. One of the people who was eliminated worked at our bookstore and she was the one person who got us the largest discounts on our books by finding the cheapest sources to find our books. Without her many students are afraid of the costs we are going to have to pay for our books. Last semester I spent over $800 in books which was for only 3 books. I searched online for the books and they were more expensive that way than buying them at our bookstore. All the extra work that will be given to the students will hurt the students as well as the college. I attend Berea College and honestly I do have to pay some to go to Berea but it is technically for my room and board which I still have to borrow money to attend school. I am a first generation college student in my family and without Berea I would be in debt up to my eyeballs even though I was offered full scholarships to four other schools across the country. Most of the students that do attend Berea must pay some amount for their room and board. Several of the other students I have talked to have said they would not mind paying a little more to help keep the jobs of the staff and faculty. Of the people who were eliminated this past school year their jobs are being put onto the student labor. One of the people who was eliminated worked at our bookstore and she was the one person who got us the largest discounts on our books by finding the cheapest sources to find our books. Without her many students are afraid of the costs we are going to have to pay for our books. Last semester I spent over $800 in books which was for only 3 books. I searched online for the books and they were more expensive that way than buying them at our bookstore. All the extra work that will be given to the students will hurt the students as well as the college.

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