The Editorial Board

When asked “Why La Salle University?,” many students will point to the institution’s generosity; they will tell you that they invested in La Salle because La Salle invested in them. La Salle has a history of welcoming middle and lower-income students into the school and they have made this opportunity possible through scholarships – scholarships that are largely supported by La Salle’s Day of Giving. 

La Salle’s Day of Giving is around the corner and, Explorers, it is time to return the favor. In the fiscal year of 2020, Explorers donated more than $2.7 million to the La Salle Fund. During the 2020-21 academic year, the University was able to provide 175 endowed scholarships worth more than $700,000 and 225 student-earned scholarships. This financial support ultimately contributed to the diversity of the school: 44 percent of the undergraduate students are ethnically diverse and 29 percent of the freshmen are first-generation college students. 

The only way La Salle will be able to continue its mission is through the support of its Explorers. After all, the two largest sources of income at the University are tuition and donations. If it were not for donations in the past, La Salle’s virtual classrooms might look a little emptier. Thus, the saying goes, “Explores give because Explorers gave.” Alumni, families and friends of La Salle donate for a number of reasons, but most importantly because they were impacted by the University and they wish the same for future generations of Explorers. 

Perhaps some Explorers are hesitant to donate to the La Salle Fund because they are either unhappy with University spending or, in general, in disagreement with the direction of the University on some front. However, those who participate in La Salle’s Day of Giving are able to allocate their funds, meaning: if you have the means to donate but choose not to because of some objection, you are forgetting that you are really hurting the students in the end. While unspecified funds will feed into the La Salle Fund (monies to be used at the University’s discretion), funds may support different areas of the institution, including scholarships that could enable La Salle to welcome more lower-income students into its freshman class.

This Day of Giving, reflect on where you are and who you have become because of La Salle. La Salle is a small school that has opened its doors to financially-struggling families, and that reality has come at a cost. While we have incredibly successful alumni, we do not have an especially large or rich alumni base. We do not have a research university type, seemingly endless endowment. We do not have the comfort or security that larger universities have, but we do have a shared experience. If we want to continue the cycle of a quality Lasallian education at a reasonable cost, let’s put our money where our mouth is and donate on March 23. 

How to donate (per the Day of Giving site):

• Online: Click on the “Give Now” button above to participate with a credit or debit card.
• Phone: Call us at 215.951.1539 (On March 23, representatives will be available from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
• Mail: To the address below (must be received by March 23 )

La Salle University
The La Salle Fund
1900 W. Olney Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19141

• Venmo: Find @ExplorersGive on Venmo and make your gift directly through the app. All gifts through Venmo are designated to The La Salle Fund unless otherwise specified.
            Students: include your La Salle email, full name, and class year in memo line.
            Alumni: include an email address, full name, and class year in memo line.
            Faculty/Staff: include your La Salle email address and full name in the memo line.

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Letters, guest columns and opinion pieces will be considered for publication provided that they meet the editorial standards of The Collegian. All letters must be received by the end of the day Monday to be considered for the current issue. Letters can be submitted via email to abbateb2@lasalle.edu. The Collegian reserves the right to condense or edit submissions. Weekly editorials reflect the views of the editorial staff and are not representative of the university or necessarily the views of the rest of the Collegian’s staff. Columns and cartoons reflect the views of the respective writers and artists.