Community rallies with 728 gifts, impacting athletics, business, and alumni programs.
Original Article from TODAY@SAM, Emily Benetti
Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is thrilled to announce the overwhelming success of its inaugural Day of Giving campaign, which surpassed expectations by raising $237,242 from approximately 728 gifts.
The Day of Giving, held on April 23 & 24, marked a historic moment for SHSU as the university rallied its community to support its mission. Honoring 1879, SHSU’s founding date, generous alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends came together for one day, eight hours, seven minutes and nine seconds to make a lasting impact on the university’s future.
The passionate Day of Giving response was vital to SHSU’s commitment and dedication to service. Bearkats and friends from over 30 states across the nation helped contribute to the initiative. Among this year’s highlights:
- Texas led the pack in gift origins, closely followed by Florida and Missouri. Even Alaska made its mark.
- There were 16 matches and challenges and gifts ranged in size $1 to $5,000.
- The top three areas supported on the Day of Giving were Athletics, College of Business Administration and the SHSU Alumni Association. A total of 18 participating departments received support.
“We are absolutely thrilled by the incredible outpouring of support we received during our first-ever Day of Giving,” said Matt Bethea, vice president for University Advancement. “The generosity of our alumni and friends speaks volumes about their dedication to advancing our university’s mission and ensuring that future generations of Bearkats have access to the transformative education and opportunities that SHSU provides.”
The triumph of the inaugural Day of Giving highlights the strong spirit of philanthropy that defines the Bearkat community. Integral to the campaign’s success was the boundless generosity of alumni and university leaders who enthusiastically engaged in challenges and matched incentives, thereby amplifying contributions from fellow supporters. Additionally, numerous Bearkats bolstered the cause by leveraging social media to encourage audiences to contribute to the effort.
Funds raised during Day of Giving will go towards supporting a wide range of initiatives across the university, including scholarships, athletics, academic programs and more. By investing in these areas, donors are directly contributing to the continued success and growth of SHSU and its students.
“Our Bearkat community showed up in amazing numbers to support programs and initiatives at the heart of our university” Bethea said. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed to this monumental achievement.”
