Did you know that 35% of alumni who give to the Rice Fund choose to do so during their class’s reunion giving campaigns? These unrestricted funds provide support for core priorities and pressing needs, including:

• Undergraduate scholarships and graduate student support
• Library, classroom and laboratory materials and technology
• Student organizations, leadership initiatives, intramural sports and the college system

Your reunion gift powers student life and learning on campus, helping to maintain and enhance the Rice experience.

View current giving progress and committee members

Enhance Your Reunion Gift

Multi-year Pledges

A multi-year commitment of $2,500 or more per year for up to 5 years can be made to the Rice Fund. For reunion campaigns, the full amount of a multi-year pledge will be recognized for the class’s reunion gift. These can be set up and fulfilled by mail (pledge form), through a volunteer, or with an Rice Fund staff member. Multi-year commitments also may be made by young alumni (Classes of 2012-2022) at their leadership-giving levels.

Recurring Gifts

Donors can make recurring gifts with their credit card. A gift of any amount can be scheduled monthly, quarterly, or annually for a duration of up to 5 years. For reunion campaigns, the full amount of a recurring credit card gift will be recognized for the class's reunion gift. A recurring gift is an easy and affordable way to divide a larger gift into manageable payments. Arrangements for a recurring gift may be made online, with the paper pledge form or by calling a member of the Rice Fund team.

Matching Gifts

Many companies offer gift-matching programs which can double or triple employees’ or retirees’ personal gifts to the Rice Fund. Matching gifts are an important source of support for the Rice Fund. In order to learn whether a company sponsors a gift-matching program and how an employee applies for matching funds, please contact the company’s human resources department or Helen L.–Toombs ’79, associate director of the Rice Fund, at 713-348-4626 or htoombs@rice.edu.

Reunion Giving Volunteers

Carrying forward Rice’s philanthropic tradition through the reunion class celebration.

Reunion Giving volunteers mobilize classmates to give in support of Rice students and faculty via the Rice Fund. Reunion Giving chairs and committee members share the importance of philanthropy and inspire classmates to take action, to give toward a meaningful cause and to raise their class’s giving totals and participation rates.

Consider joining us as a chair, reunion giving committee member, leadership giving chair, college captain, or social media chair. Reunion giving volunteers serve a one year term from January 1 through December 31, which term corresponds to the recognition of contributions to a class’s reunion gift.

Golden Reunion Gift

Celebrating 50 years as Rice alumni

Your 50th reunion year is a special time to reconnect with classmates and to celebrate how your Rice education has affected your life. During Rice’s Homecoming and Reunion Weekend each autumn, the golden reunion class honors the university with a comprehensive gift that includes class members’ contributions to the Rice Fund and to other priorities of the university.

Golden Reunion FAQ

Why should I support the Golden Reunion Gift?

The Golden Reunion Gift provides you and your classmates with a special opportunity to mark the 50-year anniversary of your graduation with a lasting contribution to Rice. Your class’s combined gifts will directly benefit today’s students and will set the standard for future golden-reunion alumni giving projects.

Why should I support the Rice Fund for Student Life and Learning?

Year after year, the Rice Fund delivers financial resources that support scholarships, graduate fellowships, residential college life, library resources, and a range of initiatives that otherwise might not be funded. A gift to the Rice Fund sustains and enhances Rice’s unique, high-caliber learning environment and is the best way to ensure that students receive the most rewarding experience possible.

How may I make a gift or pledge to my class’s Golden Reunion Gift?

Gifts may be made outright or as a pledge. Further, the entirety of a multi-year pledge ($2,500 or more) is recognized in the reunion gift. Rice accepts the following forms of payment:

1. Check: Make checks payable to Rice University.
2. Credit card: Make your gift online or in communication with a reunion giving committee member or staff liaison Helen L. Toombs ’79 at 713-348-4626 or htoombs@rice.edu.
3. Securities: You may avoid capital-gains taxes by giving appreciated securities. Please visit our Ways to Give section for more information.

May I make a deferred contribution to the Golden Reunion Gift?

Yes. There are several ways to support your Golden Reunion with a deferred gift. It is important for you to find the method of giving that matches your needs and accomplishes your wishes. A variety of deferred-gift options are available, each with benefits to you and to Rice. Please contact the Office of Gift Planning at 713-348-4624 if you have questions or desire additional information concerning deferred giving to this project.

Will my contributions count toward recognition by a recognition society?

Yes. If you contribute $2,500 or more to the Rice Fund, you will be recognized by the appropriate annual recognition society.

Campanile Society: $50,000
Sallyport Society: $25,000
Lovett Society: $10,000
Brown Society: $5,000
Charter Society: $2,500

Why is Rice asking our class to make giving to the Rice Fund a priority for our Golden Reunion Gift?

Gifts to the Rice Fund for the Golden Reunion Gift are essential to sustaining Rice’s important commitment to student financial aid and to equipping every student with the educational opportunities to optimize his or her potential.

What is the period for giving to the Golden Reunion Gift?

Gifts to the Rice Fund for the Golden Reunion Gift are essential to sustaining Rice’s important commitment to student financial aid and to equipping every student with the educational opportunities to optimize his or her potential.Fundraising for the Golden Reunion gift spans 1.5 years, beginning July 1 and officially concluding on Dec. 31 of the following calendar year. The total that is raised before Rice Homecoming and Reunion weekend in the autumn of your anniversary’s calendar year will be presented to Rice during halftime of the homecoming game. It is likely that you will hear from your classmates more than once as your class strives to achieve both its participation and dollar goals.

If I give to the Rice Fund and also make a gift toward another priority at Rice, will both gifts count toward my class’s Golden Reunion Gift?

Yes. After giving to the Rice Fund, many donors will consider legacy gifts that match their personal interests with other priorities of the university. The Golden Reunion Gift that is presented at homecoming will recognize both the gifts to the Rice Fund and the designated gifts that support capital projects, athletics, scholarships and other endowments. Dues for friends’ groups are included. But, the class’s goal for giving to the Rice Fund can be achieved only with undesignated gifts.