Annual fundraising event set for Feb. 17-18 to raise funds for more than 50 MSU projects
by Anne Cantrell, MSU News Service
An annual 29-hour fundraising event to build support and awareness for a wide range of Montana State University programs, causes and groups will run from noon Thursday, Feb. 17, through 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18.
Known as MSU Giving Day, the third annual event aims to raise funds for more than 50 projects at the university. MSU Giving Day organizers are hoping at least 2,000 donors will participate. The theme of the event is “Boundless.”
“MSU Giving Day provides the opportunity to learn more about all the ways MSU pushes the boundaries of teaching, research and service,” said Samantha Patton, associate director of the annual fund at the MSU Alumni Foundation. “We are counting on MSU’s supporters to help elevate our university as this campaign reaches for the stars to support students in meaningful ways.”
Patton said numerous student groups and academic units are seeking support for scholarships, research, events, competition, travel, equipment and more. Among them are:
- The American Indian Council of MSU, which is raising funds to grow community-building events and programs that give students confidence and provide the resources they need to succeed.
- The MSU women’s ice hockey club team, which is raising funds to join the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
- MSU’s swim club, which is raising funds to help its swimmers compete at the spring U.S. Swimming National Championships.
- MSU Bobcat Athletics, which has a goal of raising $30,000 to fund one full Bobcat student-athlete scholarship.
- Center for Recovering Students, which is raising money to fund sober events, presentations and well-being seminars for its members.
- MSU Leadership Institute, which is raising funds for its keynote speakers series, operations costs for its trainings and other leadership development programming.
- The MSU School of Art Designers Book, which is raising funds to apply to the cost of printing a book about the creative work of alumni.
- Geography and GIS planning option program, which is raising money to support field experiences for students in its program.
- Bobcat Motorsports club, which is raising funds for materials, tools and travel expenses necessary for the team to build its race car and travel to a competition.
- Gallatin College MSU, which is raising funds to provide child care stipends for Gallatin College MSU students.
People are invited to participate by making a gift during the event at givingday.montana.edu. On the site, donors can view a list of groups and projects seeking funds and choose a specific group or groups to receive their gift. The website will also provide up-to-the-minute progress, descriptions of all the projects in need of support, social media tracking, acknowledgment of donors and announcements of challenges and gift matches. Special challenges and gift matching opportunities announced throughout the 29-hour event will allow donors to magnify the impact of their gifts. The minimum gift amount is $10.
Patton said Giving Day provides fundraising support to organizations on campus that might not ordinarily receive it.
“Giving Day is an opportunity for the MSU Alumni Foundation to offer fundraising support to students, departments and initiatives on campus that need a relatively small level of philanthropic support,” Patton said. “Giving Day participants’ generosity can have a huge impact on these campus efforts.”
To learn more about MSU Giving Day, go to the MSU Alumni Foundation website at msuaf.org/givingday. •
