2/14/2019
Olivia Donia | Staff Writer
On Tuesday, Feb. 19, the Duquesne Day of Giving returns to raise funds for scholarships, student organizations, facilities and more on the Bluff. The Day of Giving, which began in 2016, is a day-long fundraising event that features gift-matching and participation challenges.
“The Day of Giving helps Duquesne because many of our passionate alumni and friends will take time on this one day to make a donation back to the university that had such an impact on their life … the Day of Giving gives them a fun and engaging way to provide this support,” said David Jakielo, Assistant Director of Annual Giving.
The website for the Day of Giving contains features such as real-time updates on the progress of the fundraiser as well as a map showing where the donors are located.
“These donors want to help
provide our current students with the same experience they had at Duquesne so they donate to scholarships, their school, Campus Ministry, Gumberg Library, a student organization or sports team they were part of,” Jakielo says.
Last year, the Day of Giving raised nearly $300,000 with donors coming from 40 states and even from overseas. These donations were designated for nearly 150 different teams and organizations on campus. According to Jakielo, donations have risen each year the Day of Giving has been held.
A crucial piece to the success of this are the ambassadors. Ambassadors for the program include current students, organizations, teams and alumni who promote awareness for the Day of Giving, both in-person and online.
“Many of our ambassadors help to spread the word by taking a photo with a Day of Giving sign and then post it on social media,” Jakielo said.
The ambassador role has become so crucial that the Day of Giving now has an official ambassador program. Through this program, ambassadors now receive a special link where they can track exactly how many people donate through their social media posts.
“Even those who donate $10 on the Day of Giving are still helping Duquesne because all of those donations really add up,” Jakielo said.
For students interested in supporting the Day of Giving, more information can be found at www.dayofgiving.duq.edu