Volunteer Engagement
Alumni, parents, and friends were generous in contributing their time and talents to advance the For Humanity campaign. They inspired and energized classmates and peers, while helping others find the causes at Yale they find most meaningful. We celebrate their fundraising success and the lasting bonds they formed, to the university and to each other.
Our historic For Humanity campaign could not have succeeded without the support of our alumni, parents, and friends. As volunteers and as donors, our worldwide community continues to power the Yale Alumni Fund, which supports our students, our faculty, and our staff.
Serving as YAA Board of Governors Chair during the campaign’s final phase was a powerful reminder of what Yale’s alumni community can accomplish together.
Serving on the reunion gift committee was deeply rewarding. It allowed me to make a leadership gift to the university that was personally meaningful while reconnecting with classmates united by a shared goal: making the future at Yale and beyond even brighter.
It has been a great privilege to guide the PLC and to work with Dean Pericles Lewis and the fantastic team led by Kathryn Van Sickle. Our time on the PLC connected us with so many wonderful and generous parents, and we have treasured the experiences shared at the meetings and events on and off campus.
Annual Giving
Annual giving to Yale provides immediately expendable support for core university programs and operations across Yale College, the Graduate School, and thirteen professional schools. Volunteers are the backbone of this effort, sustaining ties with classmates and soliciting gifts on behalf of the university.
During the For Humanity campaign, 4,265 volunteers for the Yale Alumni Fund and Parents Annual Fund completed 350,000 solicitations. As a result, some 65,250 donors made 352,500 annual gifts to Yale, providing a total of $377.8 million to support financial aid, excellence in education, student life, teaching, and more. We are grateful to everyone who participated in this extraordinary effort.
4.27k
Volunteers
Yale Alumni Association
During the For Humanity campaign, the Yale Alumni Association made a special effort to engage alumni with each other and with Yale through volunteerism, philanthropy, shared experiences, and communication.
Over the course of the campaign, 17,180 alumni volunteered in more than 37,000 roles across the university. YAA staff hosted 785 events, welcoming 19,678 alumni attending their first event—with nearly 4,000 new attendees in FY26 alone. Alumni participation reached 82 percent of graduates from the past 10 years engaging with Yale in some way.
17.2k
Volunteers
Reunion Giving
Reunions are a time for Yale College alumni to not only to reconnect but also to give back to the university. The 1,451 volunteers serving on reunion gift committees helped each class set and achieve fundraising goals to support the many priorities of the university. Cumulatively, members of reunion classes gave $673.6 million during the capital campaign, and class members returned to campus in record numbers, demonstrating their steadfast support of Yale and its mission.
1.45k
Volunteers
Volunteer Spotlight
Yale Alumni Fund Recognizes 2025 Chair’s Award Recipients
The Chair’s Award honors exceptional volunteers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, commitment, innovation, and dedication through their work for the Alumni Fund.
Yalies for Service: David Schamis ’95 and Becky Vitas Schamis ’00 MBA
This alumni couple, both dedicated volunteers to the university, are for staying connected.
2026 Yale Medal Recipients
The highest honor presented by the Yale Alumni Association was awarded to Fredric K. Cantor ’58, ’62 MD, Marla Grossman ’90, Anthony M. Lavely ’64, Rachel J. Littman ’91, and Wendy Maldonado ’93.
Rahul Prasad ’87 PhD
A graduate school alumnus and longtime volunteer for the university, Rahul Prasad ’87 PhD is for one Yale.
For a Mission-Driven Life: Jerry Henry ’80 MDiv
Driven by faith and purpose, Jerry Henry ’80 MDiv has spent decades supporting Yale’s mission and building lasting relationships within the Yale community.