Current seniors and alumni in the classes of 2001-2010 put Gettysburg over the top in the final days of "March Mania," a three-way challenge among Gettysburg, Franklin & Marshall, and Dickinson colleges.

Ben Rupp, Gettysburg College's director of annual giving, released the official final score after all reports were in on April 8: Dickinson 550, F&M 996, and Gettysburg 1,048.

"These results make all Gettysburgians proud and I'm grateful to the 1,048 BOLD alumni and seniors who put us over the top," said Gettysburg College President Janet Morgan Riggs '77. "They are the rising stars who will keep Gettysburg strong through their involvement and their generosity."

"All three schools went into this with the spirit that it's the students who win," said Rupp. "It's great to have the competition as motivation and the chance to remind ourselves that alumni giving has made Gettysburg great."

Facebook and Twitter played a key part in Gettysburg's outreach to alumni. As the College posted updates, alumni chimed in, yielding an additional 440 gifts to Gettysburg in the last 72 hours of March Mania. Such online communication is a priority for Gettysburg, which StudentAdvisor, an online resource for college-bound students, recently named one its Top 100 Social Media Colleges.

Alumni, parents and friends can still make a difference in the lives of students before the May 31 end of the fund year. Make your gift online or call 1-800-238-5528 to make a gift by phone.

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition. Alumni include Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate, and other distinguished scholars. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.

Contact: Jim Hale, senior staff writer