Briefly speaking: Seniors encouraged to share

Seniors Liz Perez and Allie Sequera-Denyko agree on what their favorite time at UC Davis has been: sharing a class in oil painting this quarter.

Now they are urging all their 2010 classmates to share a video about their favorite memories at UC Davis and donate $20.10 for the Senior Class Challenge.

The fundraiser began in the 1980s through the annual giving program to build a tradition of philanthropy for students and young alumni. It encourages seniors to donate the same monetary amount as their graduating year to help other students realize the dream of a UC Davis education.

Perez, a Spanish major from Santa Ana and Sequera-Denyko, a microbiology major from Hanford, met in their freshman year. They taped their video in an art studio.

“Who knew that four years along the line we’d be here in art?” Perez said.

The 22-year-olds have enjoyed sharing a class outside of their majors. “My best memory is definitely having one of my girlfriends here at class to actually spend time with,” said Sequera-Denyko.

At a student-created Web page, students can check out the pair’s video, see others’ memories and upload their own video memories. There is also a link so they can give online.

The funds raised may go toward scholarships, classroom upgrades or other purposes that help the university. Students may direct their gifts to their college or to the university overall through the UC Davis Annual Fund.