May 22, 2013
www.umd.edu
TerpParent WebsiteParent Helpline 301.314.8429

2012-2013 Parents as Partners Campaign

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Dear Parents,

Fearless Ideas. The University of Maryland is filled with examples of fearless ideas that start with a spark and inspire great innovation driven by bold leadership.

Every member of the university community, including parents, is dedicated to creating an environment filled with opportunities that inspire our students. Whether you are involved in Maryland Parents Association activities, participate in Family Weekend, attend sporting events and fine arts performances, enjoy Alumni Association events, represent the university in your home communities, or serve as your student’s personal consultant and cheerleader, all of you are engaged in your student’s experience.

You make a difference, both by your presence and your commitment. Did you know that financial contributions from parents provided more than 50 students over the past six years with scholarships that enabled them to continue their education at (and graduate from) the university? Contributions from parents have also provided financial support for

  • Hiring additional tutors in the Math Success Program
  • First Fridays alcohol alternative programming series and Stamp Study Zone end-of-semester stress relief activities sponsored by Stamp Special Events and Programs
  • “Student Health 101” monthly, online publication
  • Service-learning opportunities provided by the Office of Leadership & Community Service-Learning
  • Garden of Reflection and Remembrance
  • And much more!

I am writing today to request your support for the Maryland Parents Association’s Parents as Partners Campaign. The Parents as Partners Campaign encourages gift-giving as a way for parents to express satisfaction with the undergraduate experience of their sons and daughters.

Certainly, every Terp parent has made a significant financial investment in their student’s education at the University of Maryland. However, tuition and state funding account for only half of the university’s operating expenses. The initiatives supported by the Parents as Partners Campaign provide resources for programs that are not currently funded by state assistance, tuition or fees.

You can demonstrate your support today by making a contribution to any of the Parents as Partners Campaign initiatives outlined below.

Parents Association Initiatives Fund
Gifts to the Initiatives Fund make a wide range of experiences possible for UM students, including tutoring services, wellness resources, peer education and leadership development programs, alcohol education, and other programs within the Division of Student Affairs designed to enhance the student experience at the university. This fund also helps to sustain valuable programs and resources provided to parents and family members by the Office of Parent and Family Affairs.

Maryland Parents Association Scholarship Fund
This special fund provides need-based scholarships of up to $1,000 per academic year to students who may be unable to continue their education at the university due to extenuating financial circumstances.

Please consider a gift of $25 to the campaign. You can make a gift today to the Initiatives Fund or the Scholarship Fund. Those who are able to make a gift of $1,000 or more will become members of the Maryland Parents Association’s Leadership Circle as well as the university’s Colonnade Society.

We appreciate any contribution you can make to help us provide programs that enhance the student experience at the university. The Maryland Parents Association, Office of Parent and Family Affairs, and Division of Student Affairs are all committed to advancing the education of students. I hope we can count on your support.

We are deeply grateful for the generosity of the many Maryland Parents Association members who have already made a donation this year. If you have not yet made a gift, please do so today. Gifts of any amount are greatly appreciated and multiply into major support when added to the efforts of others.

On behalf of the Division of Student Affairs, I thank you for your consideration. Go Terps!

Sincerely,

Brian L. Watkins
Director, Parent and Family Affairs


P.S. Your support, both by volunteering and donating, is critical to our work. If you have questions about this campaign, matching funds or planned/estate giving, please contact Keren Shefet, Assistant Director of Development and External Relations, at 301.314.0246 or via email at kshefet@umd.edu.

Gifts in support of the University of Maryland are accepted and managed by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation Inc., an affiliated 501 c(3) organization authorized by the Board of Regents. Gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law. Please consult your tax adviser.