At Carroll College, philanthropy is woven into the student experience in ways both visible and unseen. Scholarships open doors, donor-funded spaces shape campus life, and countless programs, traditions, and opportunities are made possible through the generosity of alumni, parents, and friends who believe in Carroll's mission.
The Grateful Saints program was created to help students better understand that impact—and to celebrate it. Centered on awareness, gratitude, and connection, Grateful Saints invites students to recognize how philanthropy shapes their Carroll experience while creating meaningful opportunities to thank the donors who make it possible. Through campus traditions, events, and student engagement, the program encourages students to reflect on what they've received during their time at Carroll and how generosity continues to shape the lives of Carroll Saints.
Throughout the year, Grateful Saints come to life through signature events like TAG Week (Thanking All who Give) and the Philanthropy Roadshow, creating meaningful opportunities for students to explore the impact of philanthropy across campus. From scholarships and academic programs to campus spaces, traditions, and everyday experiences, these events help students see how donor generosity shapes life at Carroll. By bringing philanthropy into visible, interactive spaces across campus, Grateful Saints encourages students to celebrate generosity, reflect on their own Carroll experience, and better understand the lasting impact of giving within the Carroll community.
For graduating seniors, that journey continues through Senior Grateful Saints, Carroll's senior class giving tradition. This program gives members of the graduating class an opportunity to celebrate their time at Carroll while making a gift in honor of the experience that shaped them. It encourages seniors to reflect on the people, opportunities, and moments that defined their Carroll journey while helping support future students who will create their own.
Each graduating senior is recognized with a commemorative brick placed along a campus walking path. Seniors who choose to participate with a class gift are also recognized with a star on their brick and receive a special graduation tassel to wear during commencement—visible symbols of gratitude, pride, and legacy. More than a senior giving tradition, Senior Grateful Saints is an invitation to leave a mark—to celebrate the Carroll experience and pay forward the opportunities that made it meaningful.
"As a senior, I have a much deeper appreciation for the Grateful Saints program than I did when I first arrived at Carroll. Early in my college journey, I was primarily focused on the scholarships that made it possible for me to attend. Through the Grateful Saints program, however, Carroll transformed that appreciation into something tangible by giving us meaningful opportunities to express our gratitude to the generous donors whose support made our education possible. Along the way, the program also helped me recognize that generosity reaches far beyond scholarships. It has shaped the classrooms we learn in, the opportunities we pursue, the traditions we celebrate, and the community we call home.
Now, as graduation approaches, my gratitude has expanded beyond financial support to include the experiences, relationships, and opportunities that have defined my time at Carroll. The Senior Grateful Saints program invites us to reflect on how we arrived at this moment while encouraging us to become part of the same tradition of generosity that made our experience possible. For me, that invitation is especially meaningful because my younger brother is now a student at Carroll. Seeing him begin the same journey reminds me that the generosity of those who came before us continues to shape the experiences of current and future Saints. It inspires me to give back so that he—and every student who follows—can experience the same sense of community, opportunity, and support that has meant so much to me."
~Victoria Muzatko, Senior
Together, Grateful Saints and Senior Grateful Saints help foster a culture where students see generosity not as something separate from their Carroll experience, but as something woven into it. Every scholarship awarded, every opportunity created, and every tradition sustained through donor support becomes part of a larger story: one generation of Saints making a difference for the next.
Through Grateful Saints, students are encouraged not only to say thank you, but to understand the impact of philanthropy, recognize the generosity behind their experience, and carry that spirit forward long after graduation. Because at Carroll, gratitude becomes more than appreciation—it becomes legacy.
