With the 2021-2022 school year in full swing, the Class of 2022 is prepping for their senior year festivities. With graduation and many “last-firsts” in mind, the senior class is starting up the annual Senior Class Gift Committee once again.

From scholarships to the Sr. Damien Spirit Bell, each senior class has never failed to deliver on a spectacular class gift, and this year hopes to be no different.

“We have a great group on the committee this year,” said Lindsay Frank, director of Alumni Engagement and advisor to the Senior Class Gift Committee. “I am most excited about some of the traditions that we host each year like the Senior Date Auction – it’s such a fun event for all class-es to attend! It will be coming up in early 2022,” said Frank.

This year’s Senior Class Gift Committee is super excited about some of the events and fundraisers they have planned. While the class committee is still in the earlier phases of planning for the year, they are nonetheless thrilled about the months ahead.

Of the many ambitious members on the committee, Dominic Fucci, senior Intelligence Studies major and Event Coordinator for the Senior Class Gift is looking forward to bringing back many in-person events.

“With some COVID restric-tions being lifted on campus, we are looking forward to bringing back traditions associated with the Senior Class Gift Committee like the bar crawl. We also have a cou-ple fundraising ideas working with students who own small business-es that we are all really looking forward to as well,” said Fucci. The Senior Class Gift often involves events that draw in attention from alumni as well, especially the Senior Date Auction. With homecoming weekend under their belts, the committee geared up for their next event– the 3v3 basketball tournament.

On Oct. 4 the committee held a 3v3 tournament on the basketball court outside of Ryan Hall. The event cost $20 per team to participate and prizes were included for the winning teams. The Senior Class Gift Committee is just as excited to show off what they have been working on as the rest of the community.

On Oct. 12, the committee announced via Instagram the cause for their class scholarship, which the committee will be diligently working to raise funds for throughout the year. This year, the class decided to create the Patricia Jaskiewicz Scholarship. This scholarship is named for Mercyhurst’s beloved receptionist Patricia “Trish“ Jaskiewicz. Jaskiewicz was informed that the scholarship was going to be made in her honor when seniors, Rhyan Komsthoeft and Fucci surprised her one afternoon and gave her flowers to congratulate her. Jaskiewicz works in Old Main and is the first person people see when they come to Mercyhurst and often the first voice they hear when they call the school. She is always very welcoming to everyone.

Last year, Giving Day, also an important part of the Senior Class Gift, shattered their record of fundraising, giving this year’s committee a challenge to see if they can possibly further break this record themselves. In a time where things are finally getting back to normal, the Mercyhurst community is eager to see what the senior class committee has in store for the remainder of the year. Be sure to be on the lookout for upcoming events to support the Senior Class Gift!