Western Illinois University announced it raised a record-breaking $135,800 from 476 donors during its GivingTuesday campaign on Dec. 2, marking the fourth consecutive year of growth for the fundraiser.
The total represents a 42% increase from the previous year’s record of $95,840. The funds will support various WIU programs and special projects that benefit students, faculty, staff and the university community.
The 24-hour event saw donors unlock a $25,000 challenge gift dedicated to student recruitment and retention, a $10,000 match for the Trading and Commodities Lab in the College of Business and Technology, and matching opportunities for the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration and the WIU Food Pantry.
“Their generosity helped make this our strongest GivingTuesday yet and strengthened student opportunities across our Macomb and Quad Cities campuses,” Amy Crosby, interim executive director for Advancement and Alumni Relations, said in a news release last week. “President (Kristi) Mindrup’s $25,000 challenge gift added to that momentum by increasing the impact of every contribution and will support scholarships, programs and resources that help WIU attract and retain talented students.”
Jenni Lopez, WIU assistant director of Annual Giving, credited the success to the commitment of the alumni and friends. “The support we receive from our alumni and friends never fails to make me proud to call myself a Leatherneck,” she said.
While the GivingTuesday event is over, WIU’s Annual Fund continues to offer philanthropic opportunities throughout the year. Donations can be made online here. For more information, contact the WIU Foundation at (309) 298-1861 or [email protected].
