Philanthropy became a way of life for Michael Gaitan-Flores (far left), who graduated from James Madison College in 2016 and officially joined MSU’s University Advancement staff as a development associate soon after.
While still a student he started talking the talk as a caller with MSU Greenline, where he connected with alumni to discuss giving back. But he walked the walk too, making his first gift — and encouraging fellow students to do the same — long before he donned his cap and gown and became an alumnus.
“My first gift was $2, and it was an easy decision. Not long after that, I made the decision to give $25 to James Madison. It became a point of pride for me, knowing that I was providing immediate support to my college. I’ve put philanthropy in my budget now, and plan to continue giving back — more and more each year as I’m able to.”