In 1990 the Development and Alumni Affairs Division instituted a formal program of a Senior Class Gift at the request of Chancellor Quinn. Called the Senior Gift Challenge, the goal of the program was to involve students in a hands-on project, which allowed them to contribute to the university. Representatives of the senior class chose a project and raised the funds for its implementation.
Projects in the early years of the program included 1991—Chimes for the Ayres Hall tower (insufficient funds raised; funds raised were added to the endowment established by the Ayres family to maintain the clocks and chimes at the time of the renovation of Ayres, which installed a clock, four clock faces, and chimes); 1992—Clock tower on Andy Holt Avenue; 1993—Bust of Alex Haley, sculpted by Jim Gray, which is in the Jack E. Reese Galleria of the Hodges Library and a library endowment; 1994—four-foot by six-foot bronze cast of the modified seal of the university, which was placed at the main entrance to the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center, and an environmental endowment for campus beautification; 1995—Stained glass panel depicting campus elements designed by Morna Livingston (assistant professor in the School of Architecture), which is in the Hodges Library in front of the main windows and a plaque with the Volunteer Creed at the base of the Volunteer Statue; 1996—Council Ring (circular seating appropriate for class meetings or discussions) on the south lawn of the McClung Tower plaza; 1997—Brick plaza surrounding the Volunteer Statue and scholarship fund; 1998—Lighted wall at the entrance to the Hill; 1999—Improvements to the Andy Holt Avenue pedestrian mall; 2000—Time line of UT’s history for the Joe Johnson-John Ward Pedestrian Mall; 2001—Planting daisies on the Hill (400 planted at a cost of $400), four clocks for the four-clock faces on Ayres tower (insufficient funds raised), with a scholarship endowment to be created with funds left over from the two projects. Beginning in 2002 the program began emphasizing and encouraging every senior to make a gift to a specific department or program in which he wished to invest.
The 2007 Class Gift Committee wanted to increase emphasis on the Vol Walk and developed a design for modification of Peyton Manning Pass that mimics the design of the football field, with the Power T in the middle and checkerboards the same distance from the T as are the end zones from the middle of the field. The design included specially stamped concrete for the on-street field. The Senior Class Gift Committees of 2008 and 2009 also raised funds for the project, which was dedicated October 19, 2012.
The College of Law began its class gift program in 1990. Gifts have been for scholarships, a library endowment, a fountain in front of the building, benches, and a sculpture.