Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Bogotch, Ira

Thesis/Dissertation Co-Chair

Floyd, Deborah L.

Abstract

Helping through acts of philanthropy is a cultural norm in the United States. People of all generations give to a variety of causes, including their alma maters. Research shows that millennials had positive experiences at their institutions and want to stay engaged. However, they are more likely to donate to their favorite cause than their alma mater. This study investigates what motivates the millennial generation to give to their undergraduate alma mater. Building on existing work targeted at giving, it asks: To what extent does personal experience affect millennials giving to their alma mater before graduation, during the process of graduation, and after graduation? Based on the review of literature on generational giving, and the theory of planned behavior, a survey was distributed targeting millennials who met the following two criteria: 1) born between 1980–2000, and 2) graduated with an undergraduate degree between 2005 and 2015. A secondary analysis of data was employed to correlate the findings from the close-ended survey and examine the giving trends among millennials and how those trends vary among the other three giving generations: mature/silents, baby boomers, and Generation X.

Extent

104 p.

Comments

Includes bibliography.|Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.

Identifier

FA00013444

Format

pdf

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