Alumni Giving

Some of you may remember me from my years as a student at CAU from 1965 to 1969 and /or from my short tour as a professor from 1972 to 1974. In either case , I have always felt that I had a special relationship with the school and over the years I have searched for a way to repay the debt I owe for one of the best educations that a person could possibly have. My years at CAU were rewarding and giving, however I was always unsure of whether I would ever have an opportunity to contribute in a small way which would say “thank you, CAU, for being there for me when I needed you.”

Now that I have moved back to the Atlanta area after many years of being away, I have had a chance to visit the campus often and to those of you who haven’t seen it recently, CAU looks magnificently. When you see how it has grown and prospered and have an opportunity to see the wonderful young people who roam those hallow halls as we once did, you can’t help but want to find a way to become a part of it all again. And after all those years, I finally have done it.

About a year ago I found the easiest, most meaningful and long lasting way in which to make a contribution to CAU - life insurance. In my case there was nothing magical about it. I simply bought a life insurance policy for $50,000 and named CAU the beneficiary. Because I wanted this arrangement to serve many students over a long period of time, I established an endowment in my name which will set up a scholarship program at my death. The principal ($50,000 policy) can never be touched. Only the interest that those funds earn each year will ever be touched and the principal will remain in place forever. The interest each year will be set aside for scholarships and the principal will last forever.

You don’t have to establish an endowment scholarship program as I did. You may choose to have your insurance benefits go to any portion of the university that you choose. That’s up to you. 

I have agreed to serve as the National Chairman for this new program and I will be calling on a lot of my old friends to take advantage of this opportunity to insure CAU’s future for at least the next 100 years. Why not elevate CAU to the very highest rungs of collegiate life by being among those who’s names will be recognized in this program? I guarantee that you will be included in the very best among us.

Look to hear from those of us who are spearheading this program in the near future. If you would like to reach me before then, please feel free to contact me at 770-914-9515 or at jcmays@bellsouth.net

Please join us as we make history by making a great institution even greater.

James C. Mays

Class of 1969

Dear Alumni:

Thanks to you, CAU has experienced success with our ongoing Alumni Annual Fund Campaign! 

Your support has empowered and reaffirmed alumni as CAU’s most important fundraising constituency. It also demonstrates your resolve to insure that the University remains on course in regards to becoming fiscally strong.

This year’s campaign focuses on significantly increasing alumni participation, which is a key indicator used by foundations and benefactors to measure alumni commitment.

With this in mind, please consider this letter an invitation to participate in the Alumni Association’s “Consistent Giving Program”.

The Consistent Giving Program is designed to allow all alums to make modest contributions to CAU on a regular basis. Alums are asked to donate a minimum gift of $125 annually. This amount includes $25 for your Alumni Association dues. The remaining amount is considered an Alumni Annual Fund donation and forwarded to the University as a direct contribution on your behalf.

Your continuous support helps maintain a strong base to create other fund raising initiatives. 

Please forward your Consistent Giving Program contribution today! It will enable us to significantly increase this year’s alumni participation.

You may donate on line by clicking the DONATE button below, or forward checks made payable to CAUAA, Inc. to the address below:

CLARKITES, I went to the Alumni banquet during May weekend for the first time (I'm sorry to say). But I'm glad I did. It was good to see some of my old classmates from the class of '76 and other reunion classes that year but I did not see enough of us. The weekend did inspire me to become a more active alumnus and to step up my financial contributions. I didn't go to dinner to report on Clark but if we tell the bad news then we should tell the good news also. Clark is on the right track. We will not become a fallen HBCU. And we as alumni shouldn't ever let that happen. One thing that impressed me by what Dr. Walter Broadnax said during his dinner speech was that he has no interest in becoming the best HBCU school. He wanted CAU to be one of the best schools in the world. That's the standard we should have. There is a $1 million Alumni campaign going on which could easily be reached if all alumni just gave $100. Even if it was broken up to $25 a month that amount would help the school tremendously. Les give at least $100 and if you need to break it up into installments then do so. I know some of you are already giving and have been for some time. Give what you can. Go to www.cau.edu. Let's strengthen CAU so it will be here long after we are gone. Pass this on to any other Clarkite or grad of AU that you may know.

Read the article appearing in this week's The Atlanta Voice, www.theatlantavoice.com. It hits the streets June 1, 2006.