Your gift makes a difference -- a letter from a scholarship recipient

Dear ASU Parent,

Welcome to ASU! As a parent of a Sun Devil, you must be eager to see what the start of a new academic year will bring for your student. I began attending ASU in fall 2006 as a first generation college student. The support of my father made my transition to the university a success. He still keeps my spirits high with his praise and I, in turn, do my best to make him proud.

I am very lucky because not only do I have the love and guidance of my father, I have the support of the entire ASU Parents Association, an organization that you are a part of as a Sun Devil parent. Since I began ASU, you have selected me as a Parents Association scholar. It is largely because of this gift that I am able to pursue my dream of a degree in secondary education. For this, I am truly grateful.

ASU Parents make a big impact

Beyond access to financial resources, ASU continues to offer me and my classmates, including your student, opportunities to acquire an elevated education through quality instruction, unique internship programs and study abroad opportunities. As a public institution, many of the programs we have come to enjoy are funded by community support — by parents like you who have decided to increase their involvement in the ASU Parents Association by making a generous gift.

As you look forward with your student to the upcoming academic year, I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to support many other students at ASU, like me, by making a gift to the ASU Parents Association. While the average gift of support is $150, we have many donors who give at the $500 and at the $50 levels. A gift of any size will aid in providing an affordable and accessible education to all students. Will you show your support today with a gift to help our programs continue to flourish?

Thank you in advance for helping to ensure that access to higher education at ASU is available to all who seek it.

Sincerely,

Stacey Shomenta, Class of 2010