Give Day 2024: A Leaping Success

Albany Law School’s 11th annual Give Day was a tremendous example of the generosity, dedication, and passion of so many community members. 

This year’s We Are Albany Law Give Day was held on February 29, Leap Day, and surpassed the original goal of 229 donors with a final count of 285 individual contributors. More than $156,000 was raised throughout Give Day. 

In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Kate Stoneman Day, donors contributed to her namesake scholarship, which is awarded annually to Albany Law School students who embody the spirit of Kate Stoneman. Contributions toward the Stoneman Scholarship help support a student who, in turn, becomes a member of the Kate Stoneman Honorary Committee.
 

Donors also supported the newly created Legal Eats Food Pantry at Albany Law School, established in 2023 to address the issue of food insecurity within the law school community. Legal Eats is open on campus for students, faculty, and staff to use. 

Additional highlights: 
•    Spearheaded by Bill Pulos ’80, the John P. DeMatteo Scholarship received donations from over 65 individuals.
•    The Government Law Center received donations from over 20 individuals.
•    The class of 2023 boasted the highest number of first-time donors of any reunion class.
•    Donors gave to the areas that they were most passionate about – with gifts to 22 unique areas and programs supported, including The Eugene P. Devine ’40 Family Bar Preparation Assistance Fund, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the Helen Wilkinson Student Emergency Fund.
•    Trustees Jack Withiam ’74 and Jim Hacker ’84 each matched gifts up to $10,000 to the Albany Law School Fund.

As part of the once-every-four-years date of 2/29, we also looked back at some historic moments that occurred at the law school on other leap years. Notably, 1928, which included the groundbreaking of the 1928 building. According to the archives, a time capsule was placed in one of the cornerstones of the building. The time capsule contained: a 1928-1929 school bulletin, 1928 commencement program, a photograph of the architects, a recent issue of the local newspaper the Knickerbocker Press, and a letter from President Harold J. Hinman, class of 1901, to the alumni. 

Thank you to Lisa Suto of the Schaffer Law Library for finding these great pieces of history, and thank you to all those who participated in this year’s Give Day!