University Advancement
Office of University Advancement

Kendall Hall, Room 114
530–898-3590

Mailing Address
University Advancement
400 W. First St.
Chico, CA 95929–0155

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Thank You Letters

Students who receive a scholarship will write a thank you letter to the donor(s) who made their scholarship(s) possible. Writing a letter that acknowledges how your donor is supporting your education and dreams allows them to personally see how their gift is helping you and other Chico State students succeed. And it’s good manners!

Thank You Letter Requirements:

  • Letter submitted in Word or PDF.
    • Please address your letter to “Dear Donor.” Advancement Services will update this section with your donor’s information.
    • Your letter should detail how receiving this scholarship will affect you and your academic and career goals. In keeping with the spirit of the scholarship, please be sure to provide details about yourself including relevant professional and academic experience and goals.
    • As you complete your letter please remember to:
      • Proofread your Thank You Letter.
      • Have a character count between 250-1,600 characters.
      • Include a signature at the end of your letter.
      • Save the document with your full name as the title (first & last) in Word or PDF format.
      • Once you have completed the step above, please upload your letter.
    • Photo of you.
      • Please save an image using your full name as the title.
      • Please use a semiprofessional photo of you.
        • EX: Use a LinkedIn profile photo, graduation photos, photos of you in your Chico State gear, photo of you representing your major, etc.
      • Photos will be sent to your scholarship donor(s) along with your Thank You letter.
      • Photos may also be used by your college for recognizing scholarship recipients.

The content of your letter should include the following sections:

The salutation should be formal; please use “Dear Donor” to address you letter.

The introductory paragraph should outline why you are writing the thank you letter. Be sure to include the name of the scholarship and explain why you appreciate the donor's contribution toward your education.

The secondparagraph is an opportunity to tell the donor more about yourself. You can tell them why you chose to attend Chico State and your current field of study or area of interest, as well as what your hobbies, interests, and future goals are.

The final paragraph should wrap up the letter and once again thank the donor.

Sincerely,

[Recipient Name]

Sample Letter 1

Dear Donor,

               This semester I received the Aspiring Geographer Scholarship, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity you have very thoughtfully given to me. It’s donors, like you, that make it possible for students, like me, to be successful.  Your contribution will allow me to continue working towards my degree and future. With this scholarship I will pay for my tuition, my rent, my textbooks, and all other supplies that are needed for a good and stable education. I am grateful for every opportunity it has taken for me to get here, and I am so grateful that you decided to give to Chico State all those years ago.

               As a first-generation college student, it was very difficult for me to navigate applying to colleges with no help and having no ideas of what I wanted to do. Once I came to Chico State, I joined the REACH program, and it has absolutely changed my life for the better. The program has helped me in so many ways, I now understand how to talk to professors, how to manage my time better, and I have friends for the rest of my college experience. Chico State is such an amazing place with so many ways that campus supports us and help us grow. Professors here want you to succeed, and I have firsthand experiences of professors changing the pathway of my life. If it weren’t for Chico State, if it weren’t for REACH, I would have never found my passion and love for Geography. I have learned so much about the world and myself in just these first 2 years, and I still have so much more learning to do!

               Thank you for your generous scholarship. Now I can work less hours, feel less stressed about my financial situation and focus on my studies. Chico State is lucky to have kind and dedicated supporters like yourself. You have made it possible for me to succeed in my next semester, maybe one day you will be looking at a map with my name in the corner, as the author!

Sincerely,

Willie the Wildcat, future Geographer

Sample Letter 2

Dear Donor,

As a recipient of the Lulu’s Entrepreneurship Scholarship, I wanted to express my gratitude for making my college journey that much more accessible. I am aiming to earn my MBA, and to do so, I need to finish my bachelor’s degree with the least amount of debt possible. This scholarship is doing wonders for my education.

I am from Orange County, California, and chose Chico State because of the cross-country team and how much I saw myself here. I started as an Exercise Physiology major with a minor in Business Administration but found myself enjoying my business classes far more than my STEM classes, so I made the switch. I found a knack for Project Management and fell in love with solving problems and working with teams. I now major in Business Administration with an emphasis on Project Management, a minor in Marketing, and I am pursuing my Professional Sales Certificate. I have enjoyed my involvement in the Association of Women in Business as the Social Media Coordinator as well as the Project Management Group as the Treasurer. The Seufferlein Sales Program has pushed me to not only work on my presentation skills but also on my ability to close a deal and think more on the fly with handling objections. I am part of the Chico State Cross Country Team and am competing at nationals once again this year in Seattle on December 2nd. I am honored to be racing on the travel team as the 6th runner and recently earned the honor of running All-Region for Chico (top 25 in the Western Region of America).

Again, please accept my sincere thanks for your contribution to my education. Chico State is fortunate enough to have generous people like you who are committed to helping students like me achieve my goals.

Sincerely

Steve Rodgers

Sample Letter 3

Dear Donor,

As a recipient of the Keith L. Johnson Scholarship in Anthropology, I wanted to convey my unending gratitude to you. This scholarship eases my financial burden, and has made my academic experience all the more enjoyable. Rather than worrying about student debt, your generous donation has allowed me to throw myself wholeheartedly into my studies.

Due to your assistance, I have been able to get involved in many on-campus organizations. I am currently serving as one of the Co-Presidents of the Chico Anthropological Society, as well as the Secretary of the Student Philanthropy Council. Throughout my time in these organizations, I have experienced so much joy and made irreplaceable connections. The freedom to get involved with these organizations is something I owe to you.

Chico State has changed my life significantly. I have loved pursuing my degree in Anthropology. So much so that I am currently working on my application for the Master’s program in Cultural Anthropology at Chico State. I can’t stress enough how excited I am to continue learning. College has been the best experience of my life so far, and I look forward to all that I will continue learning.

Again, I want to tell you how grateful I am to you. Your donation has opened up so many doors for me, and I fully intend to take advantage of what I have been given. Chico State is lucky to have benefactors like you.

Sincerely,

Mary Jane Watson