Many of you have probably received e-mails from Andrew Snow wondering who this man is. It seems like all he does is ask you to do things that cost a lot of money.
For example, many upperclassmen received some kind of e-mail from Andrew that said, “Congratulations! You are receiving this e-mail because you have met the requirements of eligibility to purchase the official SMU Ring.” Do you know how much an SMU ring costs? If you go to the Balfour Pricing and Ordering Web site, these rings run for almost $500 a pop for men! As graduation approaches, most of our finance majors are probably scratching their heads, crunching the costs associated with leaving SMU. $500 for a ring + $40 to graduate + $58 for cap, gown, and tassel (you have to return the gown) + graduation announcements = a lot of money. Goodness knows how much girls pay for their graduation outfits. It might make you wonder if there is any way you can return textbooks that you find in the dumpster at the end of the semester.
In addition, most students, if not all, received e-mails from an overly involved friend on behalf of the Class Union of 20XX asking them to give back to SMU. You may have also spotted cutouts of students marketing the idea of giving.
To an outside observer, prospective student, first-year, or even graduating senior, this all seems like a ridiculous scam. And we have reasons to feel skeptical – we are paying tens of thousands of dollars each year just to stay in school. So what’s the big deal?
I can sympathize with students on this one. I came to SMU because of four reasons: the amazing people, including great professors, the fact that SMU’s an ideal place for my personal and professional future, the diverse perspectives from students hailing from all over the world, and the great opportunities for me to get involved and become a successful leader.
I was not a President’s Scholar or a Hunt Scholar. The only reason SMU was even remotely affordable for me was a university award and two engineering scholarships. These scholarships, plus the financial aid package I received, made coming to SMU affordable for me. While I did have the benefit of scholarships, it’s hard to quantify how much that money means until you are trying to cut corners every semester, like ordering books online or going to the library to check out old copies of textbooks. Quantifying that money becomes a whole lot easier when you have to work three jobs your junior year on top of taking 17+ hours. I’m not complaining. To all you ramen noodle eaters out there, I get it!
Given the fact that I personally invested in my SMU education, you might wonder how I felt when I was asked to buy an SMU Ring, pay to graduate, and even give back to the school. My senior year, I had the benefit of serving on the 2008 Class Union. Yes, I was one of the students asking his friends for money. And I didn’t feel guilty about it at all.
Being part of the Union and getting first-hand knowledge about the impact of giving helped me to understand its importance. In many ways, it is the difficult task of the Class Unions to educate the student body on the importance of giving now. Most students have no idea where any of their money goes – tuition fees, general student fees, etc. Given the fact that SMU has so much construction going on, have you ever wondered where that money comes from?
My finance professor tells us that we should always be skeptical and ask questions. Why should I give to SMU? How does this affect or benefit me? I could sit here and give you numbers to try and prove some point, but you can find that information online easily. Instead, I offer you these thoughts.
Take a moment to push your current aggravations with Park ‘N Pony or the stress of three midterms keeping you from Spring Break out of your mind and recall the wonderful memories you do have about SMU. These memories for me include meeting great friends, seeing SMU football beat TCU 21-10, watching amazing performances in Meadows, and even listening to and meeting famous people on campus like Martin Sheen, Tony Blair, Bob Woodruff, Colin Powell, etc.
I have received a wonderful education from my professors. They taught me how to become a responsible learner. The organization advisers I have had over the years helped me to discover myself. I have had the opportunity to visit many other universities and even other countries. I even have a job – a really good job. And whom do I thank for all of that?
How do you put a price tag on experiences? How do you write a check for those memories? How do you quantify the journey you took to find your passion in life?
It’s pretty difficult. I wish I had more money to give back to the school. I really do. Maybe students should be allotted money on the basis of their performance in and out of the classroom. What do you think, President Turner?
I wish I had enough money so that every student who wants and deserves experiences like this could have them. And that’s why I gave last year and gave more this year. It’s not a lot of money, but that’s not the point. How are you letting SMU and the rest of the world know how you felt about your experience at SMU? Giving back to the school and participating in traditions like the SMU Ring demonstrate the faith you have in this institution. And you never know when you might need the assistance of fellow Mustangs. So wear that SMU Ring with pride!
Daniel Liu is a graduate engineering management student. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
