Confucian Ideals, Western Concepts, or Both: Exploring Student Intentions for Philanthropic Giving

Fundraising from and engaging with alumni, once synonymous with American higher education, has gained momentum worldwide. However, we know little about how potential donors receive this practice. This article investigates how Chinese students—or future alumni—think about their responsibility to support their alma mater. We analyzed a survey of students in a large public research university in Beijing , estimating the role of Confucian moral ideals and Western concepts of alumni engagement. We find strong intentions to donate and engage. A sense of belonging within the university and attitudes toward alumni giving predict intentions to donate and engage. Trust in the university and alignment with Confucian moral ideals predict intentions to donate, but these effects do not extend to intentions to engage. These findings suggest concepts that originated in Western contexts and local values play an important role in understanding the reception of alumni engagement in China, offering insights for education philanthropy research.