The word ‘alumni’ is synonymous with generosity. Part V is a special gift. We don't trek alone. We spend so much time focused on ourselves that we can forget the people who helped us to reach graduation. As we develop our Alumni Way, as with active citizenship or networking, there is give and take. Giving back is almost cliché, viewed as an expectation or duty. We need to reclaim the value of giving back to our community. The giving of our time, our talent, our treasure, even our ties is key to our full alumni citizenship. This is the true and comprehensive definition of philanthropy. Our philanthropy is giving back.

In his book Why Good Things Happen to Good People, Stephen Post reports on his research that reinforces the spirit of generosity. According to Post, we live healthier and longer when we give: ‘The remarkable bottom line of the science of love is that giving protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects again heart disease.’ Post says, ‘If giving weren't free, pharmaceutical companies could herald the discovery of a stupendous new drug called “Give Back” – instead of “Prozac”.’

Generosity is good for our health. We can live longer and reduce stress in our lives. Giving back is not a luxurious activity. We can decide to be generous. What better place to concentrate our efforts than the comforts and familiarity of our alma mater. If giving is so good for us, shouldn't we all make time every week to give? We recognize the value of regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. We are full of good intentions. Giving should be as much about our passion and interest in the cause as it is about our own health. However, we are time poor. We fill our time with so much complexity online and offline. Fitting one more thing in – good for us or not – can be a challenge. In this section, we navigate through the give-take parameters of life. How can we, as university shareholders, reinvest in our alma mater? How can this investment yield dividends for us and for the campus community?