Class of 2010 raises funds to build a statue, secure legacy

As graduation day approaches, members of Oakland University’s class of 2010 have launched a campaign to leave a lasting legacy through the purchase of a special class gift.

Graduating seniors are invited to make a donation of $20.10 to support construction of a bronze statue depicting OU founder and benefactress Matilda Dodge Wilson. The life-size structure is expected to grace Oakland’s campus along with a plaque dedicated to the class of 2010 for initiating the project.

Those who contribute to the campaign will receive a Matilda Dodge Wilson button and have their names published as special gift donors in OU Magazine.

This is the first-ever senior gift initiative in university history, according to Kayla Jones, chair of the senior class gift committee.

“A lot of students don’t know the rich history that our university has, and we hope the Matilda Wilson statue will help educate students on how generous our founding mother was,” Jones said. “We hope that the statue will fuel OU pride and students will feel more connected to the university because they have a better understanding of where we came from.”

Donations are tax deductible and can be submitted online via the OU gift donation Web site at oakland.edu/give. Donors should note that their contribution is for the “2010 senior class gift.”

The fundraising drive concludes on Sunday, April 18.