By Diana Leyva
Trevecca will be hosting its very first Giving Day on March 25. This campaign, organized by the Office of External Relations, will be a chance for everyone to invest in the Trevecca community.
Anyone who wishes to donate will have the opportunity to do so during the 24-hour virtual event. Donations can be made with a card, check or Venmo and will support scholarships, athletics, student research, community engagement, health sciences and the Jernigan Student Center.
Specific projects the money will go toward is renovations of the student center, special masks for vocalists in the school of music, finishing the golf facility, and purchasing equipment for the science department.
Pulling the Trevecca community together is what inspired Giving Day, said Peg Cooning, vice president for external relations.
“When a whole community comes together behind a single effort, it can really inspire people that might not normally participate when they see their friends give. Peer fundraising is 300% more effective than an institution asking someone to make a gift, so we’re trying to build on that notion,” said Cooning.
The university currently has a goal of 500 donors and raising $250,000. As of now $44,132 has been raised.
To incentivize donors, the university is offering an exclusive virtual coffee chat with Dan Boone, a personalized thank you call from a professor and a Trevecca “swag bag” which includes free admission to all 2021 homecoming events.
Various donors will also be offering “matches” or “challenges” that people can take advantage of. Donors will be releasing their gifts when certain challenges are met, or they will also match donations given by other donors.
In addition to the virtual event, there will also be various socially distanced in-person activities, weather permitting, for students and faculty to participate in, all while making a difference in the lives of their peers. Students can stop by Boone Convocation Center from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
To spread the word about Giving Day, people are encouraged to become advocates and let others know about the opportunity to give back.
For anyone who wishes to become an advocate, one can create an account on GiveCampus.com. Once an account has been made people will be able to make gifts, offer challenges or matches and even create personal videos explaining the importance of the campaign and why it’s important to get involved.
Once an advocate has made their account, they can share the details about Giving Day and encourage others to donate by sharing links on social media or by email.
For more information about becoming an advocate or Giving Day, visit https://info.trevecca.edu/givingday.
