As with any gift, conveying personal thanks for the grant or fellowship you received is an obligation that comes with this award. You have, no doubt, already learned that saying “thank you” is one of the most important expressions of gratitude we can make throughout the course of our lives. Please join the College in letting our donors know that their generosity is deeply appreciated.
We ask that you, as a recipient of a grant/fellowship at Vassar College, express your written appreciation to the donor who made your summer experience possible. We gladly offer you guidelines for the proper composition and appearance of your letter. This gesture will mean a great deal to the benefactor/s of your fund; a personal note of thanks from you reinforces the College’s efforts to assure the donor that his or her investment in Vassar students is meaningful and appreciated.
Helpful Hints
- Express your gratitude for the grant/fellowship and tell the donor how the award has helped you. Mention the name of the fund in the body of your letter.
- Make it personal. Your letter should contain the following elements:
- Your major (if declared) and class year
- Where you interned this summer (name of the company/organization and location)
- How the award was helpful to you
- Any special projects you were involved in or worked on
- Anything really special that happened during the summer
- Your letter should include a few highlights of the summer, detail the importance of the experience for you, and tell how this experience will shape your future career plans.
- Please do not date your letter. It will be included in a report that is sent to donor/s at various times throughout the year.
- Consider including a digital photograph with your letter.
- Write clearly and concisely. Consider using words like gratitude, grateful, appreciate, and thank you, and be as gracious as possible.
- Proofread. Check and re-check spelling and grammar.
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