For seniors with tight budgets, University President Judith Rodin said she will donate $5 to the senior class in their name -- if they promise to pay it back when they become successful doctors, lawyers and bankers.
There have already been a few takers, according to Rodin, and she expects more to roll in over the next few months.
"I don't want people to fail to participate because they don't think they can afford $5," Rodin said, adding that she expects that students "will repay that, with interest, to their University at some time in the future."
At the Senior Gift Drive Kick-Off Event Barbecue in early September, Rodin announced her "Rodin Challenge" to incite participation.
If 60 percent of the approximately 2,400 members of the Class of 2004 each donate at least $5 to the gift drive, they will be able to meet their target donation of $60,000.
The money will help fund the Class of 2004 patio courtyard in front of Van Pelt Library, which will be opening next September.
So far, according to Senior Class President Meredith Seidel -- who serves as co-chairwoman of the senior gift drive -- 74 donors have given a total of $3,470.
"We're actually ahead of where we wanted to be at this point," the College senior said.
Seidel added that the donations show the potential her class has to reach their goal and set a new record for senior class participation.
"I think that [Rodin] made that challenge because she knows our class can do really great things for the gift drive this year," Seidel said.
This is the first time Penn's president has offered to lay out money for students in order to encourage contributions.
"I am delighted to be a little provocative," Rodin said.
"I did it this year because the class made me an honorary senior, given that we are graduating together," she added. "I thought it would be a fun and hopefully productive way to get the level of [participation] even higher."
Senior gift drive Co-Chairman Kunal Gupta said that the challenge will have a positive effect on donations.
"It will really inspire our class," the Wharton and Engineering senior said. "We're challenging our class to do what no other class has done before."
However, College senior Manwai Ku was skeptical that Rodin's offer would make any overwhelming difference.
Students "are just going to do whatever they were going to do anyway -- I know for me it doesn't really prompt me to donate," Ku said, although she added that "it is still something I am going to think about for myself."
College senior Justin Lacasse agreed that the offer might be more for fun than as a plausible mode for payment.
"I feel that people would think of that as more of a joke, and I'm not sure if they would think of it as an actual option," Lacasse said. "I get the overall feeling that people feel like they gave a lot already, and I think it would take a little bit more than that to get them to re-evaluate how they feel."
The Class of 2002 boasted 1,037 donors, and last year's senior class attracted a record-breaking 1,081 donors. The Class of 2004 has until June 30 to reach their $60,000 target and 60 percent participation rate.
