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The Class of 2007 raised money to renovate the space housing the former Junction in the townhouse area to transform it into a community space for seniors. “When you move down to the townhouses, you get disconnected from many of the events and resources happening in the center of campus,” Amr Zawawi ’07 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), chair of the Senior Class Gift Committee, told the Archway. “A place like this will help class unity and create a social space for seniors.” “Seniors have needed a community space for a long time where they can unite as class,” added Hope Solomos ’07 (New Bedford, MA) one of the committee members. The drive for donations started in October at the Senior Class Gift Kickoff. Seniors enjoyed a night of food and fun with a live band, Orange Jam Conspiracy, which attracted over 180 seniors – setting a record for the event. That night alone the committee raised about 50 percent of their $15,000 goal and spent the spring semester asking their fellow seniors to make donations. “I found it important to give back to Bryant because Bryant has transformed me into the person I am today,” said Solomos. Another committee member, Kevin Field ’07 (Easton, MA), said that while it is not easy to ask your fellow students for money, “we are selling what the gift means to the school not necessarily the donation.” “It is real life experience and something I can put on a résumé and talk about in an interview,” he said. Zawawi described Bryant as his home-away-from-home and said the gift will help foster a relationship with Bryant’s newest alumni that will last long past Commencement Day. “The gift will commemorate the class’s accomplishments and hopefully start a personal tradition of philanthropy to Bryant,” said Zawawi. Other committee members included Eileen Hayes '07 (Neconset, NY), Sarah McDonnell '07 (South Berwick, ME), and Adam Muccino ’07 (Chepachet, RI).
