Sentinel Society

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making an impact at RIT.

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Opportunity Fund
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The Sentinel Society recognizes over 1,000 leadership donors who make meaningful annual investments in the university.

The community plays an important role in supporting scholarships and RIT’s most urgent priorities. Their gifts provide flexible support that helps RIT respond quickly to emerging opportunities, advance strategic initiatives, and enhance student life.

Sentinel Society members champion the creativity and innovation that define an RIT education, helping talented students learn, create, and succeed.

As a Sentinel Society member, you will also enjoy the following benefits:

  • Invitations to exclusive in-person and virtual experiences
  • Opportunities to engage with faculty and university leaders
  • Access to a community of like-minded supporters
  • Exclusive membership communications
  • Early registration for select events

View Sentinel Honor Roll

Membership Levels

By becoming a Sentinel donor, you will make a direct, immediate and substantial impact on our students. Recognition in RIT’s premier annual giving society is granted to those who make a five year pledge to a Sentinel Society eligible fund, in an area of the university they feel most passionate about. Members are recognized in our online honor roll at the following annual gift levels:

Annual Gift Recognition Level
$50,000+ Visionaries
$25,000-$49,999 Innovators
$10,000-$24,999 Collaborators
$5,000-$9,999 Investors
$2,500-$4,999 Champions
$1,000-$2,499 Members
$500-$999 Entrepreneurs (Current students and graduates of the last decade)
May Dar Headshot
May Dar '29
RIT Student

"Scholarship aid has eased financial pressures, letting me focus on my academics, get involved on campus, and grow as a leader. I’m the first in my family to pursue a college degree, and Sentinel support is helping me achieve long-term goals I once thought were out of reach. Thank you for believing in students like me—your generosity inspires us to dream bigger and make the most of every opportunity at RIT."

Create a Sentinel Scholarship or Opportunity Fund with your five-year pledge

Sentinel Scholarships white title on orange background with image of students in cap and gown
Student Opportunity Funds white title on orange background with students in a group project

There is no greater need at RIT than increased scholarship funding. We want the best and brightest minds at RIT, regardless of their financial circumstances. Your support will help us bring them here and keep them here. 

By pledging $5,000 or more annually for five years, you can create a scholarship in your name or in the name of someone you wish to honor. A full 100% of your gift will benefit the student scholarship awardee. 

Annual Sentinel Scholarship pledge payments must be received by July 1 each year to be awarded for the fall semester.

By creating a Sentinel Scholarship, you will have the opportunity to: 
•    Provide five years of support for one or more students 
•    Assist a student at the university level or in the college of your choice
•    Learn about your impact

RIT’s Student Opportunity Funds enable students to “learn by doing” and apply their studies to numerous experiences outside the classroom.

These meaningful moments expand students’ knowledge by refining their professional competencies, cultivating their leadership skills, and advancing their career development.

Our Sentinel Society members can secure a brighter future for the next generation of RIT students by tailoring their giving to create student opportunity funds that support five years of experiential learning.

Once created, a Sentinel Opportunity Fund is applied to the student experience for the college of your choosing. The college Dean will carefully select the activities that each fund will support, such as:
•    Internships/Unpaid Co-op Opportunities
•    Community-based volunteering and service projects
•    Travel and expenses related to experiential learning
•    Study abroad and cultural exchanges
•    Clinical experiences
•    Research and Capstone projects
•    Conference presentations
•    Student clubs and competitions
•    Entrepreneurial projects

Sentinel Society members can create Student Opportunity Funds today! By pledging $5,000 or more annually for five years, you can create an opportunity fund in your name or in the name of someone you wish to honor, directed to the college of your choice.

Impact Areas

RIT Fund

Sentinel gifts to the RIT Fund provide flexible, unrestricted resources that help RIT meet its most immediate needs, support students, seize academic and student life opportunities, expand access to transformational experiences, and address unexpected challenges.

Athletics

Gifts help fund student-athlete needs including post-game meals, training equipment and apparel, travel, athletic training services, and facility enhancements.

College of Art and Design

Annual gifts support students pursuing co-ops, internships, international experiences, multidisciplinary projects, research opportunities, and travel to conferences and workshops.

College of Engineering Technology

Annual donor support helps students apply classroom learning through capstone projects and research opportunities in areas such as robotics, electronics, materials, and metrology, preparing them to solve real-world challenges.

College of Health Sciences and Technology

Sentinel support enables students to participate in clinical rotations, co-ops, internships, research, study abroad, and other hands-on experiences that strengthen their professional preparation.

College of Liberal Arts

Annual leadership gifts provide support for student research and conference travel grants, strengthening the comprehensive liberal arts education that prepares College of Liberal Arts graduates through innovative opportunities in scholarly activity, integrity, and global engagement.

College of Science

Annual donor support provides students with opportunities to participate in faculty-led research, internships, co-ops, and summer fellowships that offer hands-on experience solving real-world problems.

Access, Engagement, and Success

Donor support helps RIT create an inclusive, accessible environment through educational programming and student activities that promote academic success, retention, and leadership development.

Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences

Sentinel support funds student research, entrepreneurship, community service initiatives, competitions, and professional conference participation across disciplines ranging from game design to cybersecurity.

Golisano Institute for Sustainability

Annual donor support provides students with research, travel, conference, and experiential learning opportunities while they develop practical sustainability solutions in state-of-the-art labs and testbeds.

Graduate School

Donor support helps graduate students showcase their work, conduct research, present at conferences, and build professional connections through academic and community programming.

Kate Gleason College of Engineering

Annual donor support strengthens experiential learning opportunities including co-op education, research, service learning, senior design projects, and competitive student teams.

Libraries

Annual support enables Wallace Library to create new programs, enhance spaces and collections, provide over 700 workshops annually, and serve as a hands-on learning environment where students apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges.

MAGIC Center

Gifts to MAGIC support student and team entrepreneurship through mentorship, cutting-edge technology, and interdisciplinary learning across digital media disciplines.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf

Annual Sentinel gifts enable NTID to offer a unique college experience, providing unmatched support for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, with 90% of students receiving financial assistance, while fostering an inclusive community that helps students succeed at a nationally recognized university.

Performing Arts

By integrating technology with traditional artistic performance, RIT provides opportunities for approximately 2,000 students each year to participate onstage and behind the scenes while developing their talents through scholarships and student support.

Saunders College of Business

Annual Sentinel support funds student clubs and research projects, as well as Student Accelerator and Tiger Tank teams. These experiences allow Saunders graduates to gain entrepreneurial skills and real-world exposure to help them stand out in a crowded job market.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Sentinel gifts support scholarships and financial aid that help RIT attract talented students from all backgrounds, with 94% of full-time undergraduates receiving more than $340 million in annual financial assistance.

School of Individualized Study

Sentinel gifts support study abroad, conference participation, research, and capstone projects that prepare students for success in a global workforce.

Simone Center

Donor funding supports entrepreneurship education, mentorship, incubator programs, makerspace access, and competitions that help students develop and advance innovative business ideas.

Student Life

Annual donor support helps thousands of students participate in clubs, intramurals, volunteer opportunities, wellness programs, lectures, and academic support services while fostering an inclusive campus community.

For additional information on how to become a Sentinel Society member, please contact us. Our team is available to provide further clarification and assistance, and can be reached by phone at 585-475-5500 or toll-free at 1-800-477-0376, or by email at sentinelsociety@rit.edu. We welcome the opportunity to answer any questions you may have and assist you in making a meaningful impact through your giving to RIT.