Honors Program Members' Challenge
The Honors Program Members' Challenge is an exciting giving program at Southwestern exclusively for Honors Program alumni who want to play a continuing role in the advancement of the law school.
Designed to help Southwestern reach out to former members of the Moot Court Honors Program, Trial Advocacy Honors Program, Southwestern Law Review and Southwestern Journal of International Law, the Challenge helps improve ties among Honors Programs students and graduates while providing financial support for those programs and other developments at Southwestern. Current members of these Honors Programs will lead the Honors Program Members' Challenge, a competition to see which program can generate the highest participation rate among alumni giving to Southwestern's Annual Fund. While any amount donated is important, the participation rate is the focus. The program with the highest percentage will win the challenge and an award.
Why Support the Challenge?
The Honors Program Members' Challenge seeks to raise the school's profile by increasing the participation rate of Southwestern alumni, and strengthening the school's alumni-student network. The concept is based on similar fundraising challenges being used effectively by law schools across the nation, including Boston University, Georgetown, UCLA, USC, and Yale, among others.
Why is the Program Important?
Alumni support and fundraising is a critical part of the future success of the school. Southwestern's Annual Fund provides the law school with much needed funds to support scholarships, the law library, faculty research and development, and Southwestern's Honors Programs
Having the school's alumni contribute—even in small amounts—is important for another reason. A high participation rate acts as a signal to the community that alumni are invested in the school's success—a key consideration for the various accreditation and ranking agencies that view alumni giving rates as a proxy for customer satisfaction. By making a gift of any amount, alumni demonstrate the value they place on their legal education, as well as their interest in supporting and staying connected with Southwestern.
The Honors Program Members' Challenge will also do more than just support the school's fundraising efforts. The program helps bridge the gap between alumni and students and strengthen the Southwestern network. Alumni play a significant role in shaping and nurturing the direction of our students' academic lives and professional careers.
- Current students will benefit from the program as they meet and network with alumni
- The law school will benefit by building its reputation through the increased support from its alumni, and by being able to better leverage their tremendous resources and contacts
- Alumni will benefit by reconnecting with Southwestern and fellow alumni in a truly positive and engaging way, while working as a team to support the law school, and rekindling fond memories of their days at Southwestern. Alumni will also benefit by meeting some of the brightest law students in Southwestern, who are well equipped to become practicing lawyers at their firms or law offices.
Who will compete and who is eligible?
Members of Moot Court, TAHP, Law Review and Law Journal will compete against each other to obtain the highest percentage of alumni giving. Every alumnus from the class of 1995 to the most recent class AND was a member of an honors group is part of the Challenge.
If an alumnus participated in more than one honors program they will be considered a member in each group and may split their donation to support each program separately. The focus is on participation, so any gift of any amount to Southwestern's Annual Fund counts towards the Challenge.
How can gifts be made?
Gifts can be made in the following ways:
- Online - make sure to select Honors Challenge under Gift Designation
- By calling (213) 738-6814 with credit card information
- By faxing a gift form with credit card information to (213) 736-1205
- By mailing a gift form with check or credit card information to Southwestern Law School, Institutional Advancement, 3050 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010
- By stopping by Southwestern Law School's Institutional Advancement Office (Bullocks Wilshire Building, 2nd Floor)
What gifts count towards participation?
Any monetary gift made to Southwestern's Annual Fund between July 1 and March 31 by a graduate from the class of 1995 to the most recent class, who was also a member of an honors group counts towards this year's challenge. This includes pledge payments, matching gifts, and direct gifts to the Annual Fund.
How is the Challenge won?
The honors group with the highest alumni participation rate wins the Challenge.
We hope that you will take an active part in the Honors Program Members' Challenge! For additional information, contact the Institutional Advancement Office. You may also download the brochure.