The Donor Appreciation Process
Congratulations on receiving a donor-funded award! You were awarded this funding because your personal qualities, financial need and/or academic abilities stood above all other applicants.
You were directed to this page if you are the recipient of any of the following donor-funded awards:
- St. Lawrence Fund or Endowed Scholarship
- Travel Grant through CIIS
- Internship Grant through the Center for Career Excellence
- Fellowship Grant through the Academic Dean’s Office
- or because you are interested in the process as it relates to ThankSLU
Remember, all students who receive funds from a donor-funded scholarships or grants are expected to write a thank you letter to the donor(s) and/or supporter(s) of the scholarship.
St. Lawrence University donors are generous and caring people who unselfishly give to support the educational endeavors of students like you and they ask for nothing in return. However, receiving sincere communication from the student who received their scholarship is always special and lets the donor know how much their support is appreciated. The letters and videos we send reminds them of why they gave in the first place and often helps secure continuing gifts for future students.
Through a thank you letter and impact video, we can show our gratitude and allow our donors and supporters to obtain a glimpse of how the gift has made a difference in the life of a student. Most importantly, your words remind donors of the impact of their gift.
Step 1: Write a Thank You Letter
You can write a thank you letter using Microsoft Word or using our online form. The letter does not have to be an essay, it just has to be sincere. We are most interested in thanking the donor and showing how their giving has supported students.
Continue the letter process here.
Step 2: Record a Thank You Video
Departments across campus are working with our stewardship team in many way to create thank-you videos for donors and benefactors of the University. Generally the videos that are sent to donors are collaborative – they do not focus on a single recipient. Instead, a collection of videos is put together to share the far-reaching impact our donors have.
Continue the video process here.
If you feel that you will be unable to record a video, please contact Donor Relations so that we may find another way to connect with our benefactors.
Step 3: Sit back and feel good about yourself
“It is not happiness that makes us grateful” but “gratefulness that makes us happy.”
Seriously – gratitude has been shown to lift our moods, not just for the recipient, but for the ones doing the thanking as well. Check out the videos below for more information.
- Tremendousness: The Science of Gratitude [2 min.]
- SoulPancake: An Experiment in Gratitude [7 min.]
- David Steindl-Rast: Want to be Happy? Be Grateful. [14 min.]
More information about the funding you received is below.
St. Lawrence Fund Scholarships
St. Lawrence Fund scholarships are established on an annual basis by donors who give generously to scholarship aid for immediate impact. These grants are often repeated from year to year, but they are not awarded in perpetuity as are endowed scholarships.
Current-Use Grants
Like St. Lawrence Fund scholarships, current-use grants are established on an annual basis by donors who give generously to the St. Lawrence travel, internship, and fellowship programs for immediate impact. These grants are often repeated from year to year, but they are not awarded in perpetuity.
Endowed Scholarships and Grants
An endowed scholarship, travel fund, internship fund, or fellowship fund has been established by a donor and is invested with the University endowment. We award this fund in perpetuity, spending only the interest accrued in a given year. There are over 300 endowed funds that have been set-up throughout the years that support students at St. Lawrence to pursue their academic and professional goals.