The Senior Class of 2015 raised funds for the development of a concession stand in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center (MAC) as their Senior Class Gift to the university.

According the head of the senior gift committee, senior Public Health major Amanda Marley, most of the funds have been raised with about 50 percent participation from the senior class. The committee’s ultimate goal is to reach $8,500 in funds for the project.

This past November, they decided to construct the concession stand in the MAC.

“We came up with a couple of ideas and we surveyed the entire senior class in an open poll and we decided on the concession stand after it was proposed to the board in front of different chairs and alumni committee,” Marley said.

Along with four other students who form the chairs of the senior gift committee, Marley set out to organize different fundraising events that would help the committee meet their monetary goal.

On Tuesday, April 21, there was an event free to all seniors, where they gave out hot dogs, popcorn and pizza while asking people for donations.

Other events hosted by the Senior Gift Committee include the Christmas bar crawl, the hundred-day senior week event, the senior date auction and a “dip competition” between students.

“Twenty-five cents helps, every little cent helps,” said Marley. “We are just kind of encouraging seniors to see that we want them to give back and support their class and leave their own legacy to future classes.”

The final event to take place is the senior bar crawl, which will take place May 14. The money raised that day will be presented to Mercyhurst President Tom Gamble, Ph.D., and the Mercyhurst committee the very next day.

Although the goal of $8,500 has not been reached yet, Marley said that they are very close to reaching it.. An Alumni sponsor is expected to match what the committee raises for the gift to assist the class in reaching their goal.

Marley hopes students will come out to make a difference and support their senior class gift.

“I would encourage seniors to see the space of the concession stand and its construction,” said Marley. “They should help leave their legacy and help out and give back to the school.”