In this tough economic climate, most universities are seeing a major decrease in alumni donations. UD, however, has had their most successful fundraising periods ever.

"From July 1 of 2007 to the end of this January, we have now raised in new gifts and commitments nearly $100 million," said Deborah Read, vice president for university advancement. "We've had the best giving in our history, ever."

One place that witnesses donation increases or decreases firsthand is Teleconnect, where numerous students are employed calling alumni for monetary gifts. In the past years, especially 2009, the trend has been a positive one.

"This year we have definitely seen an increase in total dollars donated, as well as an increase in participation on behalf of the alumni," said senior Lauren Grote, Teleconnect's communications coordinator.

Many private universities depend on donations to fund student scholarships and provide certain programs. Donations across the country have dropped off a reported 11.9 percent on average, according to a report from the Council for Aid to Education (CAE).

UD has not felt the sting of recession thanks to a few very generous alumni. According to Read, large donations, like the $10 million gift UD received in 2008, have helped the university reach their fundraising goals despite a struggling economy.

One way Grote believes UD has countered the economy is by reaching out to alumni like never before. Be it through Facebook groups or the Day10 program for alumni who have graduated within the past 10 years, "we are continually finding new ways to reach out and foster relationships between the university and the alumni," she said.

CAE found that donations for capital purposes, such as new equipment and property purchases, took the biggest hit with over 20 percent decreases.

The report also showed that liberal arts universities, which depend largely on donations to keep their programs running, have seen a decrease of over 18 percent in the last year.

Donations for universities across the country often follow the trends of the stock market. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, most universities expect things to get better, though it may never get back to the record reported donations the schools received before the market went south.

Luckily for UD, donations have been the best in the university's history since 2007, when donations reached over $30 million in one year for the first time ever.