The USMA Class of 1983 presented a gift of $1,250,000 to the Class of 1983 Distinguished Leader Series through the West Point Leadership Center. The class made an additional gift of $100,000 to the Superintendent’s Endowment, for a total class gift of $1,350,000 -- the largest 30th reunion gift any class has ever made.
The Class of 1983 Distinguished Leader Series is a faculty-run lecture series that supports cadet development, bringing influential leaders from all sectors to West Point to address cadets and discuss leadership challenges. The series hosts eight speakers a year (September through May) with all cadets majoring in Leadership Development participating; the program reaches approximately 300 to 400 cadets each year. This series is one of many programs facilitated by the West Point Leadership Center, which aims to advance and nurture responsible leadership development within West Point, the Army, government entities, educational institutions, and corporations.
The Superintendent's Endowment exists to provide the flexibility to direct funding where it's needed most. The Superintendent can direct needed funds to any of West Point's major activities where federal funding is not currently available, ensuring that cadets have access to a wide range of opportunities and resources. Areas of support include co-curricular clubs, academic trips, research projects, cultural immersion trips, capstone projects, and academic conferences. Such opportunities are truly what define the Margin of Excellence and are what make West Point the nation's top college and the world's renowned leadership development institution.
Since graduation, members of the Class of 1983 have given more than $3.2 million to West Point; $1.8 million of that was raised since their 25th Reunion in 2008.