The Gift of OpportunityGet Inspired

The dictionary defines “opportunity” as “an advantageous combination of circumstances.” According to Mariah Bierl ’10, it’s the perfect word to describe everything she has come to know about Gustavus.

“Gustavus offered me so many opportunities as a student, including scholarships, a welcoming campus community, a quality liberal arts education, and access to numerous programs and volunteer activities,” says Bierl, who explains that those experiences led her to even more opportunities after graduation. She now works as a supply chain analyst for Xcel Energy in Minneapolis.

Like many Gusties she is grateful to those who supported her education and is proud to “pay it forward” through gifts to the Gustavus Annual Fund that provide the opportunity to others. She made her first donation when she was a junior working as a student caller for Guslink and has been giving ever since.

“I know that gifts of any amount can make an impact on students because my education would not have been possible without the support of alumni, parents, and friends of the College,” says Bierl. “I want future Gusties to have the same experiences I did.”

Bierl feels so strongly about it that she and her fellow class officers recently started a fundraising effort to endow a class scholarship. So far they have raised about $500 toward the $25,000 goal. And with the right “advantageous combination of circumstances,” they will achieve it in time to celebrate their five-year class reunion in 2015.