This post was written by Hatchet reporter Brigid Godfrey.

With 18 percent partiticaption, the Class of 1965 donated the most to the University in a two-day fundraising blitz, according to a University release.

In honor of Alumni Weekend, an anonymous donor offered to give $25,000 to the University in honor of the class whose members donated the most during the weekend. Eleven classes competed for the added donation. The release does not say how much GW received overall during Alumni Weekend.

Jeremy Gosbee, the president of the Alumni Association, said he wasn’t shocked by the class’ victory.

“It’s not a big surprise that the class of 1965 ended up winning. The 50th anniversary is sort of a milestone reunion for our alumni,” Gosbee said in an interview. “We usually see more participation in the reunion itself with the 50th anniversary class.”

The Class of 1965 was followed closely by the Class of 2014, with 14 percent of its students donating. Gosbee said the Senior Class Gift Campaign, which raised nearly $130,000 last academic year, has gotten the students in the swing of donating.

“The Senior Class Gift program has been growing year after year over the past several years, and so I’m excited to see that people who just recently graduated and most likely participated in the Senior Class Gift continue to give to the University, that’s a really positive sign for the future,” Gosbee said.

Experts have said that the Senior Class Gift campaign, whose participation rate goal increased to 62 percent of students this year, helps students understand the benefits of giving back to the University. The campaign is part of a push from fundraising officials to engage current students and young alumni in fundraising.

The fundraising challenge during Alumni Weekend will bring GW closer to its $1 billion goal, which University President Steven Knapp said last week has raised more than $800 million.