Let’s talk openly about something that may feel unfamiliar early in your career.
Philanthropy.
For many graduates of the last decade, the word can feel distant or formal and often sounds like something meant for later in life. In reality, it is much simpler and far more personal.
Philanthropy is participation.
I want to share a personal perspective here. There was a time when staying connected to my college experience was not high on my list. Like many people early in their careers, my focus was simple. Pay off student loans. Find stability. Build a career. Figure out what adulthood is all about.
Giving back felt like something for later in life. Connection felt like something I would return to when life slowed down.
Some people grow up seeing philanthropy up close. Others never encounter it at all. I was fortunate. When I was young, I watched my grandparents volunteer for nearly every civic organization in our town. Witnessing my grandfather give his time, energy, and his money to causes he believed in. He used to tell me, “Leave things better than you found them. Give your time when you can. Give your help when someone needs it. And when you are in a position to give more, remember what it felt like when someone did it for you.” His words stayed with me long after I understood what they meant.
Still, when I started my own career, staying connected to my college experience did not feel urgent. The first years after college move fast. Priorities shift quickly. Bills, responsibilities, and career decisions take precedence. Looking back at college can start to feel like a chapter that has already closed.
What I did not realize at the time was how valuable staying connected could have been during those early years. Not just from a giving perspective, but also from a relationship and opportunity standpoint. The alumni network is full of people who remember exactly what those early career years feel like. People who want to mentor, connect, and open doors.
To be transparent, my role is to help raise support for SUNY Canton, so students have opportunities, and the campus community continues to grow. However, my deeper purpose is building relationships with alumni and helping them discover how they want to stay connected and make an impact over time.
Everyone in the Roo Network is in a different place in their journey.
Alumni stay connected in different ways. Some already support the college and want their impact to grow over time. Others simply have not been asked what they might feel passionate about supporting. Those critical conversations always start with listening. Many contribute beyond financial support by serving on advisory boards, working with faculty, mentoring students, and opening doors to internships and careers.
This is what the beginning of a relationship with the college can look like.
Most of this starts with a conversation. Often it is a phone call to say thank you. Sometimes it is a meeting to learn your story and what matters to you now. Many of those conversations are simply about connection, and occasionally they grow into a project or initiative we can work on together. Relationships come first, and partnership follows.
For some alumni, that next step becomes a gift to the Canton Fund, which supports the college’s greatest needs and helps fund scholarships, student programs, and initiatives that strengthen the campus community. For others, it becomes showing up, mentoring, or staying involved in ways that fit their busy schedules.
One of the simplest ways to start is by reconnecting with us, in person or online.
In the months ahead, alumni will gather in Madison, Alabama at Valentina’s on February 19th and in New Smyrna Beach, FL on February 26th. Roo pride heads to Charlotte for the Hornets versus Knicks NBA game on March 26th, followed by the upcoming Athletics Giving Week in April. Additional details for these opportunities are available here. Events – SUNY Canton Alumni Association
Always remember, philanthropy should never feel like pressure. It should feel like a connection and shared purpose.
If you would like to stay connected, create your profile at sunyalumni.canton.edu.
What part of giving back feels most meaningful to you right now?