Give Thanks to Harvard's Generous Scholarship Donors

Project Thank You is an event that provides scholarship recipients—like you—an opportunity to say thank you to Harvard’s generous scholarship donors.

You are invited to join us for one session from February 27 to March 3, to write a letter of thanks to your scholarship donor. We’ll provide pizza, drinks, information on your scholarship, notecards, and writing tips—all you need to bring are words of thanks.

Sessions

Register

To attend a session, please register online. Questions? Email Tess Keeley at tess_keeley@harvard.edu.

Prior to your session, please take a moment to review writing tips and sample thank you letters and find answers to frequently asked questions.

Writing Tips

In your letter, share information that you think your donor would want to know. To spark your creativity, try asking yourself the following questions:

• What brought you to Harvard?
• Did your financial aid award impact your decision to enroll at Harvard?
• What are your favorite classes and why?
• How has the time you have spent at the College changed you?
• What extracurricular activities do you participate in?
• What are your plans for the summer?
• What are your goals—personally, academically, and/or professionally?
• How has the College's financial aid program shaped your experience?

Also consider what your scholarship donor already knows about you. This includes:

• Your name
• Your class year 
• Your House and concentration (if applicable)
• In some cases, the donor may have received a brief biography about you based on the information provided in the Financial Aid Office questionnaire (FAADS)

Sample Thank You Letters

Don’t know where to begin? Read two sample letters for inspiration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Sixty percent of undergraduates are on financial aid. Does every student write thank you notes for donors?

A: No. Only a select number of students benefit from named scholarship funds and have the opportunity to share their appreciation with donors.

Q: Am I required to write to a donor to receive my scholarship?

A: No. Students are not required to send a donor a thank you letter. We offer this event to provide students who would like to thank specific donors an opportunity to do so.

Q: What is the difference between a student who is a recipient of a named scholarship fund and a student who is a recipient of an unnamed scholarship fund?

A: For all students, the amount of financial aid awarded remains the same based on their financial need. What sets these two funds apart is the source of that funding. The College's robust financial aid program is made possible by the generous support of our donors. Students awarded named funds are given the opportunity to connect with donors through Project Thank You.

Q: Why was I was assigned to a particular scholarship fund?

A: Some donors like to support students with whom they have something in common. There are a range of preferences, depending on donors’ interests. Some may want to support students from their hometown, high school, or region. Other donors hope to assist students who are involved in specific fields of study or particular extracurricular activities, or who have career aspirations that align with their interests. Regardless of these preferences, all donors and students share a passion for learning and are proud to be a part of the Harvard College community.

Q: What does the donor know about me?

A: Each year, we inform donors about students receiving support from their funds. We use the answers submitted in your financial aid survey to write brief biographies about you, which are sent to the donors.

Q: Why can’t I send my thank you note directly to the donor(s)?

A: Due to confidentiality reasons, we do not disclose donor or student contact information.

Q: Is it appropriate to offer a donor my contact information in my thank you letter?

A: If you are interested in communicating with a donor directly, please include your email address and/or telephone number in your letter.

For more information on Project Thank You, please contact Tess Keeley at tess_keeley@harvard.edu.