Recognition and Reports

Donor Report | Endowment Builders Society | ‘Southern Society | Ginkgo Society

Endowment Builders Society

The Endowment Builders Society is Birmingham-Southern College’s most prestigious giving society. Its members are donors who have included the college in their will, made other deferred gifts, or established an endowed fund. These donors are both alumni and friends of the college who contribute significantly to the future of BSC through giving. Members share the desire to enhance the education of our future leaders and secure the excellent college experience Birmingham-Southern provides.

For more information or to become a member, contact Martha Boshers at mboshers@bsc.edu or (205) 226-4978

The 'Southern Society

The ‘Southern Society is an exclusive designation which honors alumni, parents, and friends of the college for their annual leadership gifts of $1,000 or more. Members receive special listing in the annual donor report.

Every gift to Birmingham-Southern is critical to the future of the college, but the true success of BSC depends on increased leadership gifts such as those given by ‘Southern Society members. These gifts allow students to continue to receive the outstanding educational experience for which ‘Southern is known. Gifts to the ‘Southern Society not only provide an important source of annual support, but also set the example for others to give at the leadership level.

Please take a moment to carefully think about giving your best gift to BSC this year. Consider joining the ‘Southern Society by making your gift of $1,000 or more today.

Donor Circles* within the ’Southern Society:

Hilltop Circle	$1,000 - $2,499
Wightman Circle	$2,500 - $4,999
Daniel Circle	$5,000 - $9,999
Stockham Circle	$10,000 - $24,499
Phillips Circle	$25,000 - $49,999
Norton Circle	$50,000 - $99,999
Munger Circle	$100,000 or more

*Alumni who graduated in last ten years may join the ’Southern Society circle of their choice with a contribution of 50 percent of the qualifying giving level.

For more information or to become a member, contact Susan Ellard at sellard@bsc.edu or (205) 226-4977.

Ginkgo Society

The Ginkgo Society recognizes those alumni who faithfully make a gift to the college year after year. Through seasons of caring, they provide for present students and also for those who will arrive in decades yet to come, continuing the search for knowledge and service.

Anyone who has given to the college for a minimum of five consecutive years becomes a member of The Ginkgo Society. Members of this select society will receive a special recognition marked with a ginkgo leaf—a simple symbol, a timeless memento, a badge of honor for those who remember what we are about in this place.

For more information on Ginkgo Society membership, contact Claire DeBow at cdebow@bsc.edu or (205) 226-4920.

Reflections on the Ginkgo

Walk north on the winding path from Stockham to Munger Memorial Hall any sunny afternoon in fall and you will find a scene that lives in the memory of thousands of Birmingham-Southern graduates—our two golden ginkgoes shimmering against a bold blue sky. The ginkgo tree holds a spot of special honor on the Birmingham-Southern campus, and not for its simple beauty alone. Reflections on the Ginkgo

Darwin called the ginkgo "a living fossil." Ginkgo biloba, the graceful ornamental we know, is the only remaining species of a venerable genus that flourished with the dinosaurs. The ginkgo is said to be the oldest living seed-bearing plant, and, as such, it has become a symbol of longevity and of hope.

At Birmingham-Southern, our own beloved pair of ginkgoes have been part of the landscape for decades, bearing fruit, providing shelter, brightening the skyline with fall and spring color, passing into local legend. Members of the 'Southern community like to reminisce about the late Dr. John Strohl, chemistry professor, who started dozens of seedlings from our trees and passed them along, becoming our own academic "Johnny Appleseed."

Rooted deep near Munger, these ginkgoes are part of our past and of our future. It seems fitting, then, that the ginkgo—our ginkgoes—should now become a symbol of appreciation for that dedication. They grace the Hilltop and represent enduring qualities of generations of Birmingham-Southern alumni—the loyalty and generosity that nurture the continuing mission of our college and assure its success in an uncertain future.