(Newswire.net — July 15, 2020) — High school and college years are some of the most important in a person’s life — not only are they a time to make meaningful connections and experience self-growth, they also help to build the foundations of career success.
Eric Niedermeyer of Portland, Oregon, can attest to this. After a successful stint at Jesuit High School and Lincoln High School, he graduated with a BA in economics from the University of Oregon. He went on to found and manage a growing investment advisory practice called Tanner Creek Capital.
Eric knows that upon graduation, it’s easy to just move on and focus on future goals. However, he adds that just because one has left an educational institution, it doesn’t mean they can’t continue to connect with it. In fact, He outlines some reasons why it’s beneficial to support your high school or college.
State Funding Lacking in Education
One of the main reasons to give back either through donating time or through financial contributions is a lack of resources at many elementary and secondary schools across the country, explains Eric Niedermeyer.
When it comes to publicly-funded schools, there has been some noise made about the chronic disinvestment of kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms, which not only means teachers are not being paid fairly, but also that students are forced to use textbooks and other supplies that are outdated. It also means that needed repairs at these schools are put on the back burner due to lack of funds.
The decreased investment in public education is an aftershock of the 2008 recession, which is still being felt by students and staff leading to lowered student achievement. While recovery has been strong in many states, many do not allocate funds towards public schools at levels prior to the recession — instead choosing to cut state taxes, which are a crucial part of the mix in the school funding formulas.
Cost to Attend Public Colleges/University on the Rise
Making a donation to a public (or private) college can give a student a better chance at post-secondary education, explains Eric Niedermeyer. Much of the operating expenses at public colleges rely on endowments and colleges often use funds to set up new programs or offer scholarships to help fund tuitions.
The latter point may be especially important, as tuitions at colleges continue to rise and be prohibitive to many. The average tuition of public universities has topped $10,000 a year, which can be significantly higher for students attending from out of state. That’s just the tuition part — students still have to find ways to pay for accommodations and food, which can almost double the total expenses.
Scholarships made possible through donations can help eliminate or lessen the burden of student debt, which has reached more than $1.5 trillion collectively across the country.
Donations Boost Personal Investment
While donating to a public school can help a young student earn a diploma or degree, it can also boost the value of the credentials earned by alumnus, explains Eric Niedermeyer.
The reason behind this, he adds, is that funding alma mater will help it maintain or earn a better reputation. This is important when it comes to the graduate searching for a job: an employer is more likely to be impressed if the school is rated high in terms of education delivery. Donations to a former school can also raise its profile through better research, as well as creating additional facilities and performing needed renovations.
A school can also use additional funding to engage the community in other ways, such as offering outreach and training programs and even offering awards for students and faculty that excel. That contributes to the betterment of the entire community.
Giving Thanks is Healthy, says Eric Niedermeyer
There’s another, more personal, reason to give back to a school that has helped shape a future: research suggests practicing gratitude can actually boost mood.
Being grateful helps a person identify the positive aspects of their life, which contribute to their well-being. This makes an individual more aware of outside sources of happiness and drives them to connect with others and form positive relationships (both personal and professional).
Meanwhile, there are other potential benefits of gratitude that relate to health. There’s also some evidence to suggest that being thankful can ease mental issues, and some early findings show that it might even improve physical health. That could mean better cardiovascular/heart health, and even fewer aches and pains.
While the evidence of the health benefits is still being collected, there’s one thing for sure — those of any age and background who practice gratitude report health issues less often, says Eric Niedermeyer.