The percentage of alumni who give back to their alma mater is a pivotal factor in how publications like U.S.News & World Report and Princeton Review rank schools and colleges. Just five years ago, the University of Miami’s alumni participation rate was 12 percent, less than the 13.8 national average at the time. This year more UM alumni than ever contributed to the Annual Fund, reaching an all-time peak of 18 percent amid a climate where the national average dipped to 12.4, according to the Council for Aid to Education.

The University of Miami Annual Fund is a major source of funding for student scholarships, academic initiatives, and other pressing educational needs. In addition to subsidizing textbooks, mentoring services, laboratory supplies, outreach programs, and other expenses not covered by tuition alone, the Annual Fund is an important barometer of the University’s reputation and progress. Whether it was through the Calling ’Canes, response to direct mail campaigns, or making online pledges—the generosity of alumni who answered the call in fiscal year 2006 generated $4.7 million for the Annual Fund. The total number of alumni donors this year—20,760—is nearly double what it was in 2001.

“More and more of our alumni are re-engaging with the University, and they’re responding to additional outreach and involvement opportunities,” says Donna Arbide, M.B.A. ’95, associate vice president of alumni relations and the Annual Fund and UMAA executive director.