New Campaign Encourages Grads to Give Back

Advertising/PR workshop project supports the City College Fund by Carol CommissiongOver the past several months, City College has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. To make sure contributions to City College don't fall off as a result, CCNY ad/PR students have launched a campaign that emphasizes the positive and encourages students to pledge as alumni.“I Am CCNY,” created by team Infinite as part of this semester's MCA advertising/PR workshop, supports the City College Fund, the nonprofit fundraising arm of the college. It offers scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students in architecture, education, engineering, the arts and humanities, the social sciences and science, as well as City’s unique BS/MD program.This kind of support is crucial. "The past several years have seen a decline in government funding," explains Ilene Miller, manager for the City College Fund’s annual giving. "Currently tuition and government funding cover a fraction of the college's annual budget. Therefore we need alumni support to bridge that gap to help keep CCNY affordable."The new campaign spotlights students like Troy Blackwell, a senior advertising/PR major and public policy minor, who was selected for a highly competitive White House internship this fall. “Thankfully, because of the City College Fund’s financial support, I was able to participate in a great internship and study abroad,” Blackwell says. “In addition, I participated in the Stanford Exchange Program which they also help fund and spent the summer at Stanford working with a mentor on public policy issues related to economic crisis.”Miller appreciates examples like Blackwell. "I say to students here, 'We need you to be ambassadors,'" she says. "You’re the best PR for this great place.”To make a donation to the City College Fund, click here.