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MU donors give more than $13.7 million on Mizzou Giving Day, surpassing last year’s total by $5 million

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

March 15th, 2018

Story Contact: Liz McCune, 573-882-6212, mccunee@missouri.edu

COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Office of Advancement officials announced today that the annual Mizzou Giving Day raised more than $13.7 million—surpassing last year’s total by more than $5 million. Mizzou Giving Day, which was celebrated during the 24-hour period from 12 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, to 12 p.m. Thursday, March 15, was the university’s second daylong campaign to raise support from MU alumni and friends.

“The support we have received from Mizzou alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends shows how much this university and its mission means to them,” said Todd McCubbin, executive director of the Mizzou Alumni Association. “Private support for Mizzou is an important part of growing the university. We asked our supporters to step up through Mizzou Giving Day and they did in record fashion. They are all-in on making Mizzou stronger.”

Mizzou Giving Day started with a generous gift to the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Virginia and Charles Peterson made an estate commitment of $1.25 million to Mizzou in support of the already established Virginia E. Peterson Scholarship in Biochemistry. The gift was announced in Schweitzer Hall’s Boyd O’Dell Bridge of Discovery by Dean Christopher Daubert.

The Mizzou Student Foundation’s year-round Rally Mizzou initiative, one of the many funds that provide scholarships for students, raised $7,755 as part of Mizzou Giving Day activities. The Rally Mizzou campaign began Monday and featured an event on Traditions Plaza on Thursday.

Thanks to challenge funds, Mizzou Giving Day encouraged friendly competition among schools, colleges and units. The School of Journalism; the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; the College of Veterinary Medicine; the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business; and the College of Engineering raised the most money while Student Affairs, MU Health Care, the College of Arts and Science, the College of Engineering and the College of Education received the highest number of gifts. Because of their successful efforts, these schools, colleges and units earned bonus funds. Additional social media contests provided prize money to schools, colleges or programs.

The Mizzou Alumni Association Scholarship Challenge, which was new this year, raised more than $122,000 for student scholarships through the Mizzou Giving Day website (http://givingday.missouri.edu). Every dollar given through the Mizzou Giving Day website for the Mizzou Alumni Association Scholarship Challenge between noon on Wednesday and noon Thursday was matched up to $2,500 per participating local chapter or affinity organization.

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 four priorities:

  • Endowment to compete with other institutions will strengthen the ability to attract and retain stellar students and faculty.
  • Signature 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 will propel Mizzou to global leadership in education and research and will help attract and retain students and faculty.
  • Student success initiatives provide Mizzou students access to world-class learning opportunities that ensure they thrive on campus and throughout their lives.
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