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MU Donors Give $8 Million on First Mizzou Giving Day

Mizzou Giving Day raised private support for schools, colleges and programs across campus

March 17th, 2017

Story Contact: Sheena Rice, 573-882-8353, ricesm@missouri.edu

COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Office of Advancement officials have announced that the first Mizzou Giving Day raised a total of more than $8.2 million through 3,590 gifts. Mizzou Giving Day, which was celebrated during the 24-hour period from 12 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, to 12 p.m. Thursday, March 16, was the university’s first daylong campaign to raise support from the MU community.

“I’m grateful for the tremendous grass-roots outpouring of support from our Mizzou family,” said Tom Hiles, MU vice chancellor for advancement. “The programs and projects Giving Day donors have supported help enable vital student programs such as scholarships; innovative research in many areas, including agriculture, cancer, and health care; and the community outreach that highlights Mizzou’s impact on the lives of Missouri citizens. We truly appreciate the support of our Missouri alumni and friends.”

“We are thrilled by the generosity of the Mizzou family. Alumni, students, faculty, staff, friends—everyone showed how much the flagship university means to them and to this state,” said Todd McCubbin, executive director of the Mizzou Alumni Association. “In the current economic climate, private support for Mizzou has never been more important. We cannot help but think how lucky we are to have alumni, parents, staff, faculty and friends who are willing to strengthen Mizzou through private giving.”

Mizzou Giving Day was a comprehensive fundraising effort, striving to raise support for all areas of the university. Thanks to private donors who pledged “challenge gifts,” Mizzou Giving Day encouraged friendly competition among schools, colleges and units to maximize the impact of the university community’s generosity. The College of Veterinary Medicine, the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, the College of Engineering, the College of Education and the College of Arts and Science raised the most money, while Student Affairs, the School of Journalism, the College of Arts and Science, the College of Education, and the College of Engineering received the highest number of gifts. These schools, colleges and units earned bonus funds provided by challenge gifts. Additional challenge gifts also funded five social media challenges that allowed the winners to designate $900 to the school, college or program of their choice.

“Mizzou alumni and donors have a long history of stepping up to support the university,” said Mizzou: Our Time to Lead campaign tri-chair Richard Miller. “Mizzou Giving Day showed how the Mizzou family can truly make a difference when we work together. We had gifts of all sizes come in from donors around the world, but they all shared a common interest in the continued success of the University of Missouri.”

Mizzou Giving Day is a part of the Mizzou: Our Time to Lead campaign. With an overall fundraising goal of $1.3 billion, the comprehensive campaign will secure the University of Missouri’s status among the nation’s elite public universities by focusing on three priorities:

  • Endowment Building MU’s endowment will allow the university to strengthen the ability to attract and retain stellar students and faculty.
  • Signature centers and institutes These centers and institutes will be the engine of research growth that will enhance MU’s AAU status and add to the university’s distinctiveness.
  • Campus renaissance Spurred by new and renovated facilities, Mizzou will take global leadership in education and research, which will help attract and retain students and faculty.
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