APRIL 6, 2021 — It is here! The inaugural UTSA Giving Day starts today at 10:11 a.m. and will continue for 1,969 minutes until April 7 at 7 p.m. During the 32-plus-hour online event, Roadrunner Nation will band together to share their pride and give to the university programs they are passionate about.
Similar to Giving Tuesday or The Big Give San Antonio—for nonprofits to raise funds for their causes—UTSA Giving Day offers participants and donors opportunities to celebrate generosity and make a difference. There are more than 50 programs from across the university participating—from academics and athletics to Alumni Association scholarships, student organizations and well-being initiatives.
“Our donors are visionaries. They see a bold future for UTSA and the impact it has on our community,” said President Taylor Eighmy. “UTSA Giving Day celebrates what we can do when we all come together.”
In launching UTSA Giving Day, the Roadrunner community joins a successful trend in higher education by creating a university-specific day to celebrate philanthropy.
“UTSA Giving Day is an opportunity for us to make philanthropy and giving a truly fun, collaborative experience,” said Karl Miller-Lugo, vice president for development and alumni relations. “There is more than $180,000 available in challenge funds, thanks to many donors who stepped up as sponsors. The challenges are designed to encourage participation and to help some very worthwhile programs that directly impact students. Every gift will make a difference.”
As an example, if 75 donors contribute to the UTSA Libraries and the Institute of Texan Cultures, then a $25,000 gift will be unlocked from generous friends Scott Sawtelle and Kathleen Curry.
The UTSA Giving Day projects with the most dollars raised and most donors will also earn an additional $5,000 from challenge funds, some donated by loyal alumna April Ancira ’03 and Campaign Leadership Committee member Norman Jacobson.
A full list of challenges and their generous donors is available on the UTSA Giving Day website.
Beyond giving, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students and community friends can also get involved on social media to advocate and help win an additional $250 in challenge funds for their preferred area of support. Among the social media opportunities are the UnSelfie Challenge, which involves posting a photo today with the hashtag #BuildtheNest, and the We are Roadrunners Spirit Award, which invites participants to share photos of their families and pets in UTSA gear on April 7.
Progress with real-time results will be tracked on the UTSA Giving Day website, including totals for colleges and key programs from across the university as well as the map tracking the goal to have gifts from every state in the nation.
The goal is that at least 1,969 members of Roadrunner Nation will show their pride through gifts during the event and that the amount donated exceeds giving day results generated by other UT System and Texas universities.
Tune in for some rowdy fun with live broadcasts
The community is invited to tune in to two planned broadcasts on April 7, both hosted by April Ancira ’03:
“As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, last year we were forced to suspend the phonathon, where students reach out to alumni, as well as some other efforts that we traditionally relied on to generate support were also limited,” said Miller-Lugo. “And at the same time we saw student needs evolve. We believe Roadrunner Nation and our community will respond through UTSA Giving Day to help not only replace but enhance the philanthropic support generated through those efforts. Everyone can help Build the Nest to ensure the future success of students.”
The online fundraising event concludes at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 7. To be one of the first to give, visit the UTSA Giving Day website.
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