Last Thursday, the BHP family that I joined 4 years ago got together to celebrate our amazing trip together and the spirit of giving back. The finale was the conclusion of the Make-A-Mark Campaign to raise money for scholarships to attract the best an brightest future BHP students and keep our program competitive with the top business and liberal arts schools in the nation.
After the most successful campaign ever – 99% participation and over $20,000 raised not including alumni, faculty staff, and corporate matching donations – we were ready to celebrate a little. After checking in, chatting with Dean Gilligan and Dr. Prentice, and taking a class picture for all ages with the carefree faces of seniors who have been through it all, we were ready for dinner.
With nostalgic memories and hairstyles-past flashing on the TV behind us, we enjoyed a wonderful 3-course meal and some laughs. Midway through our feast, Professor Bermiss (donning my Stetson cowboy hat) said a few words about the importance of giving back and unveiled his faded mohawk– our reward for reaching 80% participation. (I later got to witness Professor Burris shave his head bald for reaching 85%.)
Next, Shelley and Dr. Prentice gave a few words on the scholarship and Dr. Prentice handed me a check for $2,500 towards the campaign — our spoils for reaching 90%. Dinner concluded with the announcement of the BHP Outstanding Student Awards and Doenges Award followed by the raffling off of over 20 prizes from a free hookah rental (the proud owner here) to free Southwest tickets, a laptop, and even a Texas Exes life membership!
After dinner, there was one last thing to do: taking out our frustrations from 4 years on the one advisor we all love…to hate. In all seriousness, Brent Winkelman was a real sport as the three highest donors — Austin, Michael, and Madison — all got their chance to pie him in the face. Strategies ranged from direct hits to maximum hair contact, and Brent got it good, taking our aggression in the best way possible – jovially.
All in all, the finale was the BHPerfect way to celebrate our success and spend one of our last precious nights in college together. Thank you to all the seniors who donate and who made my last four years amazing. I will miss you guys. Hook ’em forever.
–Bhargav Srinivasan