The Class of 2011 raised more than $77,000 for the Senior Class Gift campaign, almost third of which will go to an emergency scholarship fund for students.

The seniors out raised last year’s class by almost $3,000, with an last minute and anonymous gift boosting the total by $13,000.

About $28,000 will go to the Ronald Howard Students Assistance Fund, an endowment fund established in 1997  to aid students who have emergency or other financial needs that cannot be met through traditional financial aid.

When seniors donate to the class gift, they are prompted to donate to a specific area on campus, like a student group or department on campus. That total is matched by the Luther Rice Society, an alumni society, and is given to an area on campus which the senior class votes on at the beginning of their senior year. Sixty percent of the senior class selected the Ron Howard fund.

“You will enable a caring and needful response to students in the future, a mark of the special feelings and concerns that I believe this University has for it’s own people. That was Ron’s dedication as well,” former ambassador to Jordan and professor Edward Gnehm said.

As he raised his glass for a toast, Univeristy President Steven Knapp said this year’s seniors are his classmates, having started his tenure four years ago when the Class of 2011 began its freshman year.

“This record comes as a result of previous years of donations and will hopefully feed into and inspire donations by future classes,” senior class gift coordinator Eric Thibault said.