1. The Hillel pin

   One way Lynn Morgan gives back is by serving on the board of trustees for Cornell Hillel, which enriches the lives of Jewish students and helps provide a safe, inclusive community on campus. More than 1,500 students attended Hillel events in the fall 2019 semester. “I feel fortunate to be involved in an organization that’s having such an impact on current students,” Morgan says of Hillel, which she notes can help students feel part of a smaller family community rather than getting lost in the scale of the university.

2. The Class and Reunion pins

   Morgan is an avid supporter of her own Class of 1989 and a member of her class council. She served as a Reunion Campaign volunteer for her 30th Reunion, asking classmates to join her in supporting the university philanthropically.

3. The CAAAN pin

   Morgan also participates as a member of the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network (CAAAN), which brings together prospective students and alumni to help applicants navigate the admissions process. She enjoys being a resource for families starting down their own Cornell paths.

4. The Cayuga Society Pin

   Morgan has made a gift to Cornell every year since graduation and plans to continue doing so for many years to come. She is a proud member of the 1865 Society for loyal donors, the Tower Club and the Cayuga Society for planned giving.

“I can remember back to very early Thanksgivings, where we would end Thanksgiving by singing the alma mater,” Morgan says. “It was a very warm memory from early on.”

Morgan lived in the same dorms her first year as her father did in 1958, the U-Halls. A knitted Cornell blanket – the blanket her great-grandmother made for her father for his freshman dorm room – hung on her wall.

These connections, and those Morgan made as a student in the School of Hotel Administration, helped launch her career, led to lifelong friendships and inspired her to give back starting immediately after graduation. Each pin she collects helps tell her Cornell story.

 “I always knew it was important to support things you care about,” she says. Morgan directs her giving each year to multiple areas she is passionate about, and says she is glad Cornell offers that ability to direct gifts to particular scholarships, clubs and colleges.

In addition to the myriad ways Morgan gives back, she makes a point of attending any Cornell events she can as a volunteer for the Cornell Club of Washington and the Cornell Hotel Society. She encourages others to attend events to make new friends and reconnect with classmates.

 “I find that having the shared experience of being fellow Cornellians accelerates your friendship and camaraderie so much, it’s like you’re already starting your friendship at chapter 6,” she says. 

The Morgan family ties to Cornell continue today through a fourth generation. One of her three children, Daniel Morgan ’23, is enrolled in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The red Cornell blanket Lynn Morgan’s great-grandmother knitted is now hanging on Daniel’s dorm room wall – a meaningful piece of family and Cornell history.

Although some things have changed since Lynn Morgan attended Cornell, the sense of community she felt remains strong for current students – thanks in large part to the continued involvement and support of alumni like her.

 “I grew up with a great message of how important ‘tikkun olam’ – repairing the world – is,” Morgan says. “I consider Cornell to be one of my most important philanthropies. Cornell gave me so much and I am dedicated to do my small part – through time, treasure and talent – to give it back and pay it forward. That’s the best way of ensuring the next generation is taken care of.”

This story originally appeared in the online-only spring 2020 issue of Ezra magazine.