USD hosts annual Giving Day celebration
Unite for USD took place on campus Wednesday and Thursday last week and is known as the university’s annual Giving Day. Students, alumni and community members gathered to celebrate the founding of the university and could enjoy a variety of events throughout the week. Swag items and free food and beverages were also offered throughout the duration of the event.
The university’s annual giving day and the 1,862-minute fundraiser commemorates the university’s founding year: 1862. The fundraiser is heavily based on reaching out to alumni and students to donate to different organizations. Several initiatives are supported and recognized including Charlie’s Cupboard. President of Charlie’s Cupboard Nathan Popp said he wanted others to know the importance that donating to Unite for USD has on the campus body.
“I wanted to organize a team to spread the word about what Charlie’s Cupboard is and why donating to Unite for USD is so important. This event is how we get a majority of our money so we can afford food and personal hygiene items. We don’t get any funding and it’s all non-profit, so this fundraiser is really important for us. We love meeting with new people and showing them how they can get the word out about Charlie’s Cupboard,” Popp said.
Participants were able to enjoy the celebration and honoring of USD for a variety of programs. Sophomore Alayna Falak, an accounting major, shared her appreciation of the donations gifted to the Beacom School of Business.
“As a business student, Unite for USD can really help provide some of the business students with more networking opportunities, scholarships and hopefully even more options for classes,” Falak said.
Other initiatives included in the fundraiser were athletics, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Coyote Legacy Scholarship program. The event also encouraged everyone to become a Giving Day champion by participating in the fundraising activities.
“To be a Giving Day champion, we asked that you simply participate in Unite for USD. It helps spread the word of what Unite for USD is and how you can show support. A donation must be made to be considered a Giving Day champion, but it can be anywhere from five dollars to over one thousand. The goal is to really just spread the word,” Popp said.
This year was Popp’s third time experiencing the Unite for USD celebration. He mentioned the opportunities students and campus organizations were granted with by having the event each year.
“I think Unite for USD is a really great networking opportunity. It’s a great way to not only connect with students, but to also connect with the foundation and alumni,” Popp said.
The USD foundation was established in 1922 and now consists of several individuals striving to provide support for the university and its students. The foundation also offers an array of programs and activities for alumni.
At the conclusion of the two-day event, it was announced a total of nearly 1.9 million dollars was raised. Over 1,400 contributions were made to help 23 campus initiatives.
