April 21, 2016
Why I give: Megan (Condron) Smith ’91
Sometimes, reunion giving is about donating money. Sometimes, it’s about giving time. For Megan (Condron) Smith ’91, it’s about both.
Smith is chair of the 25th Reunion Gift Committee for the Class of 1991. She oversees 15 classmates who plan, in monthly conference calls, how to meet the class fundraising goal, raise awareness of the importance of giving, and set the bar high for future reunions.
“Reunion giving is a method of fundraising to build excitement, encourage participation, and create awareness about the need for philanthropic support for Providence College,” said Tara L. Harrington, associate director of annual giving. “The goal is to create positive and successful energy around each class’ reunion gift, as well as develop a competitive nature between the classes.”
“Megan is a tremendous leader and has dedicated an enormous amount of time to this initiative,” added Harrington.
Smith, who lives in Boston, is executive vice president and director of national accounts for KBS Capital Markets Group, based in California. She is a member of PC’s School of Business Advisory Council and regularly attends College events, including St. Dominic Weekend, A Night in Black & White, and Providence in New York City.
“I have to say what I’m involved in right now is a lot of fun — to engage with people I used to know 25 years ago, to build a committee that’s philanthropic in nature and made up of people who love the school as much as I do,” said Smith. “My goal is to have everyone give a little bit more because it’s our 25th. And to have those who have the means make a long-term pledge. I want to get people re-engaged so that when our 30-year reunion comes around, we’ve got people already giving.”
Smith majored in social science at PC, studying economics, political science, and psychology, and earning a business certificate minor. A native of Worcester, Mass., she toured the College the summer before her senior year of high school. That visit was enough to convince her not to apply anywhere else.
“Looking back, I wouldn’t have done one thing differently — I wouldn’t have taken a different class, or studied more, or studied less, or said, ‘That was a bad roommate choice.’ I wouldn’t change one thing,” said Smith. “Even today, some of my best friends are the people I met in college.
“I feel my life was shaped by my four years spent at Providence,” said Smith. “I have to be involved to make sure others can have the experiences I did.”
