Offering Opportunities: Charles Way "The University gave me the opportunity to get an education and to play the sport I love — and to do it for free on scholarships." Charles Way (Engr '95), former Cavalier fullback, played for the New York Giants and later became the team's director of player development. "Now I want to give something back. I want to give other students the same opportunities that I've had."

By participating in annual giving at the University, you become part of a special philanthropic family. The 53,958 donors who contributed in 2003-2004 include

Alumni
Virginia alumni are the greatest source of annual philanthropic support for the University. In the 2003-2004 fiscal year, 33,386 alumni demonstrated their loyalty to U.Va. by taking part in annual giving.

Young Alumni
Many young alumni begin a tradition of giving soon after their walk down the Lawn. Their support is recognized by the MY-D-CAV program, which stands for My Yearly Dollars Count at Virginia. A growing number of recent graduates give at the Portico Level of the Rotunda Society, which recognizes annual giving of $1,000 or more from alumni in the last five graduating classes.

Reunion Classes
Alumni often raise their level of support for the University during their reunion year. In 2003-2004, reunion classes contributed more than $12.6 million gifts in pledges to the University, much of it in the form of annual giving.

Friends, Faculty, and Staff
Generous friends and employees express their dedication to U.Va. in abundant ways, including their annual support.

Parents
Gifts from parents endorse the University experience. In the 2003-2004 fiscal year, 5,630 non-alumni parents took part in the annual giving campaign.

Students
Increasingly, undergraduates express their loyalty by becoming donors while still on Grounds. More than 65 percent of graduates in the Class of 2004 made gifts or pledges to the University before taking their degrees in May.