Class of 1970 Superlative

This year, like many of the 49 years before, the Class of 1970 contributed to Sewanee at a high rate—approaching 100%. As a 50th Reunion Class, the group had both annual and reunion goals, and altogether they contributed more than $1 million to the Sewanee Fund, an endowment for the Career Center, and an endowment for internships. This year’s giving for 1970 represented one more time the class really distinguished itself in generosity, yet as it passes into the ranks of Exornati classes, it is unlikely to win the Exornati Award, which is given to the class with the highest increase in giving percentage. That’s because it’s hard to increase from 100%. 

“We don’t have any lucky beavers in our class,” says Jack Tonissen, C’70, of Charlotte, North Carolina, who has long led a dedicated group of volunteers who essentially whip support for Sewanee. “Yet no class has had a better giving percentage than ours in the last 20 years. We were at 96% last year. It was a down year.”  As comparison, the overall giving percentage for Sewanee alumni sometimes eclipses 40% but has been trending down—as is the case with almost all colleges—over the past decade, even as overall giving has been going up. The closest class to Tonissen’s class of 1970 counted 61% participation. 

 Tonissen has been working a plan suggested by Beeler Brush, C’68, by enlisting up to 30 volunteers to bring in the class gift. The volunteers divide up the class, with each volunteer working with five classmates. “I ask them to communicate with their friends in the way in which they feel most comfortable, whether that’s by letter, or phone call or electronically.” Tonissen fills in the gaps of people who are not otherwise assigned, and he also follows up with people he hasn’t heard from in a while. 

 “Sewanee is just like a big family,” says Tonissen. “We don’t have an adversarial relationship; almost everyone in our class had a good experience as a student, and they are willing to give. We never suggest an amount—$10 to $10,000, everyone does what they can.”

 In addition to recruiting and encouraging his posse of volunteers, Tonissen manages the whole process, and he does so by leading with friendship. Everyone in the class gets a YSR calendar. Tonissen keeps a running list of his favorite books and sends it out to classmates as part of his outreach to his friends. “I knew probably 75 people pretty well as a student, and now, I know 150 people pretty well from working on the Sewanee Fund gift. It’s not work at all. It’s a blast. We talk about kids, jobs, family. The quality of the people in our class is just amazing.”

 A truism in fundraising is that “people give to people.” Through tireless work over the last few decades, Jock Tonissen has proven that principle, building and nurturing relationships that center on a shared and living relationship with Sewanee.

 To see Class Standings and volunteers for Sewanee Fund 2021, click here, and to make a gift to the 2022 Sewanee Fund campaign click HERE