Giving Every Year

Members of Northwestern’s NU Loyal giving society — which recognizes alumni, parents and friends who make annual gifts of any size to the University for three or more consecutive years — hail from around the world and span generations. Since We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern began, there have been more than 50,000 NU Loyal members. In honor of the loyalty program’s fifth anniversary, here are five members who are making a difference in students’ lives through their annual support.

Cristy Garratt ’10

Gold-level member: 10 years 

Career: Garratt is the London-based head of digital video and social media for CNBC International.

Undergraduate Years: This Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications graduate was one of the first Latinx news directors of the Northwestern News Network.

“After my second year, giving annually became a habit. I donate to Medill and the Northwestern Annual Fund on Giving Tuesday — the week after Thanksgiving — so I don’t forget. I know those contributions are going toward students like me who desperately need grants and scholarships to be able to attend Northwestern. Any bit I can contribute toward that, I think I need to.” — Cristy Garratt, president, NU Club of the United Kingdom

Melissa Dell’Aringa Brotz ’90 and Don Brotz ’91

Platinum-level members: 20 years

Career: Dell’Aringa Brotz is chief marketing and communications officer at Abbott Laboratories, a health care company in Lake Bluff, Ill. Brotz is a sales manager at AbbVie, a pharmaceuticals company in North Chicago.

Undergraduate Years: Brotz, a graduate of the School of Education and Social Policy, received a full scholarship to play basketball at Northwestern. He and his wife, a Medill alumna, met at University Library in 1989 when he was a junior and she was a senior. 

“Giving back every year feels like an ongoing recognition of the role that Northwestern plays in our lives, from our education and our job opportunities to our friendships. The University is part of our identity now.” — Melissa Dell’Aringa Brotz, Medill Board of Advisers member 

Steve Rubin ’78 and Patricia Bloom ’79 

Platinum-level members: 40 years

Career: Rubin owns a real estate law firm, and Bloom teaches fourth grade. The couple lives in Boca Raton, Fla.

Undergraduate Years: Rubin, an economics major, met Bloom, an education major, on the food service line at Sargent Hall. She was scooping the peas, and he was scooping the beans. Rubin credits his favorite instructor — Ronald Braeutigam, a Harvey Kapnick Professor of Business Institutions — as a major reason for the couple’s annual gifts to the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences’ economics department.

“Each of us who graduated from the University has an obligation to give something back, whether it’s a small amount or a large amount, and to give it consistently. The University can plan on the funds that it gets, and this helps contribute to the education of the students who come after us. At the same time, giving increases the prestige of the University, supports its academic offerings and becomes a reflection of its graduates.” — Steve Rubin

Have you or has someone you know been giving to Northwestern for more than 40 years? Share your story.