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.