Month: May 2024

Marshall University has announced the success of its Day of Giving: 1837 Minutes for Marshall with $176,660.47 raised in support of various university initiatives.

Marshall’s Day of Giving, which occurred April 24-25, serves as an opportunity for the Marshall family to unite and make a difference for the university’s students and the future of the institution. This year, Day of Giving spotlighted “1837 Minutes for Marshall,” which was a nod to the university’s founding year. Over the course of 30 hours, faculty, staff alumni and supporters were encouraged to participate and contribute.

“We are grateful to everyone who participated in this year’s Day of Giving,” said Dr. Ron Area, CEO of the Marshall University Foundation. “The outpouring of support from our donors, alumni and community demonstrates what we can achieve when we come together for a common cause.”

Day of Giving supporters donated to specific projects, scholarships, departments or other areas of need identified by the university. The day featured challenges, matched gifts, incentives and events to increase participation and impact. The Marshall University Alumni Association’s Raleigh-Durham Chapter hosted a special Spanish-themed concert “Te Quiero Verde,” or “I Love You, Green” as part of the day on April 25.

Many individuals signed up to be official Day of Giving ambassadors. Ambassadors encouraged others to give by sharing their personal experiences with Marshall and their own giving stories. These gifts were made through the ambassadors’ individual links, which were then recorded on the leaderboard on the Day of Giving webpage on Marshall’s website. Megan Barbour brought in the most gifts at 74, followed closely by Cara Bailey at 67. Barbour is president of the Marshall University Alumni Greater Annapolis Area Chapter and Bailey is the assistant dean of Marshall’s Honors College and director of the Society of Yeager Scholars.

The total number of gifts made during Day of Giving was 542 with a total number of donors at 420. Out of the gifts made, 346 of them were $50 or less. Areas of interest that received the most gifts include the Society of Yeager Scholars, Office of Financial Aid, the university’s greatest needs, the Alumni Association, and the College of Arts and Media.

Also occurring through the month of April was the university’s Family Campaign, which encourages faculty and staff to sign up for payroll deductions, offering them the ability to make an impact with automated contributions. For the faculty and staff who enrolled during the month of April, their gifts counted toward the overall Day of Giving total. The Family Campaign has received 3,299 gifts from 290 faculty and staff who have donated to the annual fund this fiscal year, and there are currently 201 Marshall employees with payroll deductions.

For more information about leaving a lasting impression through giving, contact the Marshall University Foundation at 304-696-6264 or visit www.formarshallu.org.

Marshall University and the Marshall University Alumni Association hosted the 85th Alumni Awards Banquet on April 13 with a total of seven alumni chapter awards announced during the event.

The inaugural Chapter President of the Year award was given to Laurie Martin of the Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley. Two annual awards were given during the event, the first to the Marshall University Alumni Greater Annapolis Area Chapter for the Emerging Chapter award, and the second to the Marshall University Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter for the Chapter of the Year award.

“The Chapter President of the Year award recognizes outstanding leadership, and Laurie truly embodies what it means to be a leader,” said Matt James, executive director of alumni relations. “We are so proud to celebrate Laurie with the inaugural Chapter President of the Year award, as well as recognize our Annapolis chapter and our Southern Coalfields chapter for a remarkable year.”

Martin has served as president of the Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley for more than 16 years. The chapter has donated $326,000 dollars to the Marshall University Foundation and the Big Green Scholarship Foundation. The Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley has also received the most Chapter of the Year awards with a total of seven since 2014.

The Marshall University Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter is a three-time recipient of the Chapter of the Year award, first receiving it in 2022. The chapter tied last year for the award with the Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The Marshall University Greater Annapolis Area Chapter received its first chapter award for Emerging Chapter after forming in August of 2022 with its first official chapter meeting taking place in February of 2023. In over a year, the chapter has nearly 100 alumni in its chapter membership.

Four new Chapter Excellence awards were also announced during the event for Excellence in Fellowship and Support, Excellence in Mentoring, Excellence in Scholarships and Excellence in Student Recruitment.

“It is important to reflect the growth of our alumni chapters with the addition of these new awards,” James said. “These chapters are so deserving for all they do to uphold the pillars set forth for our university.

The 75 Family Alumni Chapter received the Excellence in Fellowship and Support award. The chapter seeks to unite the friends and family members of those lost on Southern Airways Flight 932 on Nov. 14, 1970, which took the lives of 75 individuals, made up of Marshall football players, coaches, fans and the flight crew. In the past year, it has been the chapter’s mission to have a larger presence on campus, particularly during the fall and spring Memorial Fountain Ceremonies, as well as raise funds for scholarships.

The Society of Yeager Scholars Alumni Chapter received the Excellence in Mentoring award. The chapter brings together Yeager Scholar graduates and current Yeager Scholars. Named for Chuck Yeager, the native West Virginian who broke the sound barrier, the Society of Yeager Scholars is a prestigious academic program that aims to cultivate exceptional students by providing them with unique opportunities for academic and personal growth. With 300 alumni from 33 graduating classes, Yeager alumni provide valuable guidance and encouragement to the program’s current students.

The Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley received the Excellence in Scholarships award. The chapter donated $42,000 in fiscal year 2023 in many areas, but primarily to scholarships between the Marshall University Foundation and the Big Green Scholarship Foundation. The chapter celebrated its successful annual scholarship fundraiser dinner on April 4 in Vienna, West Virginia.

The Marshall University Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter received the Excellence in Student Recruitment award. The chapter, which is based in Beckley, West Virginia, works with all the high schools in the four surrounding counties to raise awareness about academic and scholarship opportunities at Marshall.