GivingTuesday this year falls on December 3, and Atlanta attorney and current Oglethorpe Trustee Tom Clements ’86 is setting the pace with a $200,000 pledge for OU students from his family’s foundation, The Adelphia Foundation.

Clements and his family, who are long-time supporters of Oglethorpe, are making a generous multi-year gift in support of the Student Retention Fund in addition to their ongoing support of the L. Thomas and Penelope B. Clements Endowed Scholarship Fund.

“Oglethorpe provided me with an education and community that laid the foundation for my future success and happiness,” Clements said. “I feel fortunate to support Oglethorpe’s initiatives that make these experiences accessible to other deserving young adults. It is my hope that they too, can experience the opportunities that have shaped my life.”

Clements and his wife, Penny, established the endowed scholarship in 2014, and it has been awarded annually to a student who has substantial demonstrated financial need and who has academic merit. The Clements recently committed to a new pledge of $200,000 to support three high-impact areas: their endowed scholarship, the Oglethorpe Fund and the Student Retention Fund, which was created in 2015 by the Board of Trustees to provide critical support to students facing unforeseen financial hardships, ensuring student success and preventing withdrawal due to personal circumstances.

A small financial setback can make paying a tuition bill just out of reach for a student, threatening years of educational progress. Sometimes, even after grants, loans, scholarships, family contributions, and the income generated from working, a student lacks sufficient funds to pay their tuition.

Through the Student Retention Fund, Oglethorpe provides supplemental aid to students who have made substantial progress towards earning their degree but face unexpected financial barriers to graduation. Often, as little as a few hundred dollars can make the difference between a student choosing to drop out or continue their education. To date, more than 97% of recipients have gone on to continue their studies or graduate from Oglethorpe.

“Tom and Penny have been so generous and strategic in their giving to Oglethorpe,” says Sarah Emerson, Oglethorpe’s vice president for advancement. “They wanted to make an immediate impact for students who encountered financial emergencies while at the same time ensuring students receive a scholarship annually into the future.”

“I am excited about their pledge that will impact three areas that are at the top of Oglethorpe’s list of priorities: endowed scholarships, retention grants and the Oglethorpe Fund. Their willingness to support Oglethorpe today and tomorrow is unique, and theirs is a philanthropic legacy for which we at OU are most grateful.”

To learn how you can make a strategic gift to Oglethorpe on Giving Tuesday or before the end of the calendar year, contact Emerson by email or call 404-364-8330.