Author ORCID Identifier
Degree Year
2020
Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Economics
Advisor(s)
Ron Cheung
Martin Saavedra
Committee Member(s)
Barbara J. Craig, Chair
Keywords
Alumni giving, Philanthropy, Oberlin College, Charitable tax deduction, Media coverage
Abstract
This paper studies the personal characteristics and factors that determine alumni giving using a dataset from Oberlin College from 1974-2019. Liberal arts colleges like Oberlin are especially dependent on gifts to cover operating expenses and fund endowments as they don’t receive direct public funding. Using Logit and Tobit regression, I find that females, graduates, age, alumni whose spouse attended Oberlin, being married, and GPA are associated with higher giving. Media coverage in years when Oberlin faces bad press lowers giving. The state charitable tax deduction increases giving on the intensive margin (total amount donated) but not the extensive margin (likelihood to give). Additionally, findings suggest taking longer to graduate, enrollment in the Conservatory, and living in rural areas are associated with lower giving. Athletics, race, and undergraduate financial aid do not affect giving.
Repository Citation
Kitahata, Kenneth, "Determinants of Alumni Giving to a Private U.S. College: Evidence from Oberlin College" (2020). Honors Papers. 699.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/honors/699
