Why I Give
Why I Give
Paving Brighter Paths
Welcome to a window into the lives of RIT alumni and friends—their life’s journeys and their stories on why they give back to RIT.
Our alumni have walked diverse paths, and as you read their experiences, you'll discover how RIT has played a pivotal role in shaping their careers, values, and connections—and why each of them (and sometimes their families) have made the commitment to give to RIT.
“I support Scholarship and Financial Aid funding because I placed a large weight on affordability when deciding where to attend college. When I got my acceptance letter and scholarship package, I saw it as an investment RIT donors were making in me. Similarly, I hope my contribution can close the gap for an incoming Tiger who has their eyes set on RIT.”
- Lucas Randrianarivelo BS ’22
In addition to supporting Scholarship and Financial Aid, Lucas is proud of the diversity across RIT and its global relevance as a growing, premier technology university. He feels that support in any capacity is critical to RIT’s expansion and success.
The dean of GCCIS used discretionary funds to ensure Karen Roth BS ’06 could travel to a crucial engineering conference. It was this special accommodation that influenced Karen’s Sentinel Society membership and decision to allocate her gift to the college’s general fund.
“Having the dean permit the use of college funds to cover the conference costs was remarkable. He knew how important it was for me to be there, and that made a huge impact on me. That’s why I’m a Sentinel member. I want to help provide those same types of prospects for students. Every financial contribution makes a difference and can go a long way to help someone. The college unrestricted funds are vital to helping students when the situation arises, just as it was used to help me when I needed it.”
Kim Conti DeGroot BS '90 and Daniel DeGroot were some of the first donors to join the Sentinel Society in 2021, and they also established a student scholarship bequest. It’s more than feeling a need to pay forward financial support to others, they explain. It’s about gratitude.
“I was an RIT scholarship recipient when I was a student. I was one of three children of a single, hard-working, blue-collar mother. It was because of the generosity of others—scholarships from donors—that enabled me to attend such an amazing school. I am who I am today because of my mom’s strength and the support from the donors. The message around what Daniel and I do is about thanking the institutions that helped us when we needed it, and reminding other past scholarship recipients that they are where they are today because of the donors.”
Bal Dixit MBA ’74 and Anita Dixit MS ’91 have achieved so much side by side—both personally and professionally. Honored with RIT’s Outstanding Alumni Award in 2021-2022, the Dixits are dedicated alums who genuinely care about giving back to their Tiger community. They have served in several volunteer leadership roles at the university and are generous Sentinel Society donors and Ellingson Society members, establishing a bequest intention for the Bal Dixit Lab Endowment Fund.
“This is our way of giving back to our alma mater and to all the young Tigers. We are here to give a helping hand. Anita and I would like to give the same kind of opportunities and the necessary education to young, aspiring students who want to build their careers. Quality doesn’t just happen. It takes integrity, hard work, and the right tools.”
Beth Singer and Howard Smith aren’t RIT alumni, but in the four years since their son, Lee Smith BS ’24, BS ’24, began his undergraduate studies, they have become closely intertwined with the university's students, faculty, and staff.
“The biggest reason we choose to give back to RIT is everything they have done for our son. We would like to see our Sentinel gift help foster the innovation and collaboration that takes place everywhere here. RIT is a place of breakthroughs. When we come up here, being around the students is very exciting. Giving back, inspiring them, and providing them with insights and ideas they can take into their careers—into their future—makes you feel really special…and excited for them.”
“RIT is the foundation of so many parts of my life. My co-op as a student brought me to Seattle and Microsoft in the first place. I met so many wonderful students and faculty at RIT during my time there. I hope my Sentinel gift can help provide the same amazing opportunities and connections for students that I had, especially with assisting those needing help covering the costs of their education.”
- Will Sugarman BS ’15
Alumna Krystle Jones-Ellis BS ’09 MS ’15, College of Liberal Arts, is a Sentinel Society founding member. With her gift, she hopes that she can break barriers, support students of color, and serve as philanthropic inspiration with her gift.
“During my time at RIT, there weren't many black women students,” said Krystle. “As an alum, I wanted to ensure that I provided resources for those students to have what they needed to succeed. I also met my husband at RIT. He benefitted so much being a part of the NTID community that it was important for me to give back in support of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, too.”
Successful alumni and married couple Karuna Mukherjea MS ’97 and Deepak Sharma MBA ’97 are excited to help students with their recent scholarship gift.
“Our favorite thing about RIT is the vibrant community. We are passionate about helping ensure that every student has that amazing experience—as we had—and that they can thrive. We found the Sentinel Society is a great way to give back to the university that gave so much to us.”
Norm Wironen BS '71 has long been an annual supporter of RIT, and he recently made the decision to make a more substantial contribution with a legacy gift of appreciated stock.
His vision for his gift is clear and heartfelt: "I hope that RIT can use my contribution to alleviate the financial burdens on students, enabling them to focus more on their education and less on work, just as financial aid once made my own education possible."
Sentinel Society members Erin and Mark Minichiello are extremely proud of their son, Ethan BS ’23, MS ’24 a fourth-year mechanical engineering technology (MMET) student. Although not RIT alumni themselves, both Erin and Mark have become closely engaged with RIT, particularly with other parents of students.
“Ethan speaks highly of his educational experiences, the resources available, and especially the dedicated faculty at RIT. The MMET program has been a great fit for his learning style. As parents and as donors, we hope to see RIT continue to be globally competitive and offer scholarships so qualified students can obtain an RIT education.”