MBA Lifelong Connections Campaign

Dear Classmate:

At Haas, we are currently strengthening our brand and are proud of our success. Additionally, as a Berkeley MBA student we are part of a tradition of excellence. Since 1898 our school has produced some of the world’s greatest business leaders and consists of a global alumni network of over 35,000 diverse professionals. We are about to join that group. As students we have helped run our school, but upon graduation, our responsibilities will change in different, critical ways. As alumni we must help strengthen our school by dedicating both our time and generosity.

The Lifelong Connections Campaign (LLC) at Haas is an effort launched by the Haas Alumni Network (HAN) to strengthen the Berkeley MBA brand by working with alumni to secure new sources of funding for the school’s growth. Berkeley will always be challenged as a public school competing against private schools, which rely on robust alumni campaigns and endowments. HAN works strategically to engage our loyal alumni to make our school competitive. Embracing the idea that as alumni a stronger school only supports our career in numerous ways, we ask that you pledge a gift to your own future by financially supporting our school today. Remember, we will carry the Haas brand forever, so it is in our best interest to make Haas a better place, even after graduation.

What is a pledge?

As students uncertain of our future income, the concept of pledging a gift allows us to commit to an amount to be donated that will be spread over a defined period. We ask each student to pledge $1000 or to pledge 1% of their expected salary in the first year after graduation that will be spread over the four-year term. If you are unsure of your future salary, please consider a reasonable estimate of your income. For instance, if you expect to make $100,000, you would pledge $1,000 that would be split up over a four-year period. Over the next four years, you would be expected to pay that $1,000 pledge in either four installments of $250, the first being due on June 1, 2008 (over one year away!). Or, you could pay the lump sum when you want. But, in four years, you will have to pay $1,000 to fulfill your pledge to the school.

Please note, your initial pledge is simply that, just a pledge to donate to your school. If, however, you cannot meet that pledge for whatever reason, you are not obligated to pay. Our campaign is just a way to gauge how much we can project to receive from our class as a gift.

What is our Goal?

As in everything we have done as a class since being at Haas, we would like to be the most successful class in the LLC campaign history. Since coming to Berkeley, we have influenced our school in so many great ways because of our visions of positive change. Now, we can lead the alumni by succeeding in the LLC campaign.

The class of 1998 set an all-time record of 98% class participation. Could we reach 99%...or even 100%?? Consider how this campaign works. Making a pledge should really make this number attainable and more palatable to our personal budgets. Think about it, you are not writing a check today. We are simply asking you to pledge just $1000 over the next four years. Not that bad, really…

By showing our school that we are committed to its success, we ensure that the school can support our future needs as alumni.

How do we pledge?

Look for us in the courtyard. Why not! We have been broadcasting events and parties in the BofA and the courtyard for two years now. We’ll be there over the next three weeks for you to stop by and hand in your pledge form. Additionally, you can make a pledge online now.

It’s time for our class to take Haas to the next level. What an incredible and easy way to keep our program as a top-tiered business school.

-The 2007 Haas Lifelong Connections Team-

Dai Pham , Co-Chair Dave Good, Co-Chair
Jeff Boortz Alex Canasi Henrique Ceribelli Simona  Chin Ray Chou Robin Degracia Vanessa DellaPasqua Seth Familian Tom Fitzsimons Abel Galacz Virali Gokaldas Alexis Green Csaba Halasz Rob Kaplan	Ambarish Kenghe Angus MacLaurin Kelly Mason Paola Millan Mio Nitta Edwin Ou Carlos Penzini Jesse Purewal Andy Taylor April Underwood Rajiv Vaidyanathan Ellon Xu Calvin Yang Seth Zimring

Make your pledge now!

Our thanks to Nima Badiey MBA 06, who contributed most of the pictures displayed on these MBA LLC pages.