After years of paying tuition, graduating NIU students are being asked to reach into their pocketbooks one more time.

NIU Annual Fund’s senior class challenge is a program designed to solicit donations from graduating students to fund a gift to improve NIU.

“They received a quality education at an affordable price, and it’s time for them to leave their mark on Northern Illinois University,” said Jennifer Czarnecki, manager of the Huskie Telefund, an automated alumni outreach telephone system in the basement of Grant Towers North.

This year’s donations will go toward buying resources for University Libraries.

Annual Fund Director Meghan Marsden said supporting the University Libraries will help students for years to come.

“It’s their chance to give something back,” she said. “In essence, they are making a gift to the current and future students of NIU. They are leaving a legacy for them by supporting the library, which is the cornerstone of our university.”

Alumna April Keaton, who gave to the senior class challenge last year, said she made a donation to improve education at NIU.

“I hoped it could do something for the school,” she said. “I didn’t feel obligated to give. It was something good for the school. Everyone complains about it and said they wish it was different and better there, so I thought I might be able to do something about it.”

For more information about making donations to the senior class challenge, visit www.niufoundation.org/annualfund.