UC s Senior Class Officers to Dedicate Gift to the University

The University of Cincinnati Senior Class Officers will dedicate a historic marker for the 2009 Senior Class gift at

1 p.m., Friday, June 12, opposite McMicken Hall’s Mick and Mack lion statues on the west side of Campus Way.

The gift honors the memory and contributions of Charles McMicken, whose $1 million bequest led to the establishment of the University of Cincinnati.

The McMicken marker rests on an early 20th century limestone column that was salvaged from the demolition of the old power plant during the construction of the MainStreet corridor through the heart of campus.

The temporary, plastic replica of the historic marker displayed at the dedication will be replaced by a metal monument currently in production. Robert Cardosi, associate director of annual giving for UC Foundation, says the marker is the first in a series of future Senior Class gifts to honor a piece of UC history.

The marker holds a photo and text history of the origins of the university, including the story of Charles McMicken and McMicken Hall, as well as the history of the Mick and Mack lions, a gift to the university.

Senior Class Officers will attend the dedication. The Senior Class Officers are Ashlee Carlisle, Senior Class President, Breana Roth, Vice President of Senior Class Internal Affairs, Kersha Deibel-Trotter, Senior Class External Vice President, Samuel Walston, Senior Class Treasurer, and Joe Whelen, Senior Class Secretary. Also in attendance will be Thomas Hadley, associate vice president for Student Affairs & Services, Robert Cardosi, Judy See, UC Foundation director of annual giving, and Leonard Thomas, project manager for Planning + Design + Construction.

The 2009 Senior Class reports that it raised more than $12,000 for the gift as part of its “Make Your Mark” campaign, with events such as a fundraising lunch for seniors on McMicken Commons, the establishment of a student philanthropy group represented by underclassmen, and the creation of a young alumni giving society – the Red & Black Society – to promote leadership gifts to the campaign. The Senior Class also recognizes graduation photographer Spencer Bomar as the lead contributor to the campaign.

The total cost of the project is $12,500, with fundraising continuing with a Senior Class challenge for seniors to contribute $20.09 in celebration of their year of graduation. Contributing seniors will receive a Senior Class T-shirt that was designed by UC seniors.

Senior Class President Ashlee Carlisle, who will graduate from the College of Business Saturday morning with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on marketing, adds that the Senior Class of 2009 is also establishing a “Go Green” initiative with any proceeds beyond the fundraising goal for the McMicken marker. “We want to establish a fund to support future efforts for the university to go green and to lead the way for our community to become more environmentally friendly,” says Carlisle, a UC graduate from Springdale.

The 2009 Senior Class reports that its fundraising campaign for a Senior Class gift was among the most successful in recent years, 100 donors above the previous fiscal year’s total.

Senior Class Gift Information

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