JOHNSON CITY – East Tennessee State University alumni, friends and the campus community are invited to take part in the university’s annual Day of Giving, which will take place from 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 15, through 8:59 a.m. on Friday, April 16.
Sponsored by the ETSU Office of University Advancement and planned and conducted by a committee of 55 staff, faculty, retirees and alumni of the university, the Day of Giving is a concentrated effort to engage donors and encourage support for student scholarships, research, campus initiatives and more.
This is the third year ETSU has observed a Day of Giving. In 2019, $225,000 was raised through this effort, and in 2020, the event was focused specifically on Bucs Helping Bucs, with the proceeds primarily benefiting students who faced extraordinary circumstances as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In the current academic year alone, 84% of our undergraduate students at ETSU received some type of financial assistance, and in 2019-20, over $2.8 million of that came in the form of scholarships funded by our generous donors to the ETSU Foundation,” said Pam Ritter, vice president for University Advancement. “Nearly half of our students at ETSU graduate with no debt, which gives them a huge boost as they enter the world and begin to establish their lives and careers.
“In addition to scholarships, gifts from our donors to the ETSU Foundation make it possible for the university to provide assistance directly to students and staff in need,” she continued. “At the onset of the pandemic, ETSU pivoted from the Day of Giving to a Bucs Help Bucs program. Through that, we were able to raise $130,000-plus from more than 600 donors. Over 80% of that money was provided directly to more than 200 students in need, in the form of grants. We were also able to garner additional support for Bucky’s Food Pantry and the Employee Assistance Fund.”
Student scholarships, Bucky’s Food Pantry and student/staff emergency funds continue to be among the top priorities for which the ETSU Foundation is currently seeking donations. Others include the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center, the ETSU Army ROTC Program and the ETSU Counseling Center.
On the Day of Giving, prospective donors are invited to visit www.etsu.edu/give, where they may learn more about different methods of giving. Donors may designate gifts to the area(s) of the university about which they are the most passionate.
Individuals who may not be able to make a gift at this time are encouraged to advocate for ETSU by sharing from the Day of Giving portal on their social media platforms.
Planners have also provided ways for donors to have fun and build awareness prior to the official Day of Giving on April 15. A “Find Flat Bucky” At-Home Scavenger Hunt allows participants to follow prompts on social media to #FindFlatBucky, with winners entered into a drawing for prize money to go to the ETSU area of the winner’s choice. For details, as well as a printable Flat Bucky, visit etsu.edu/advancement/giving/flatbucky.php.
In addition, a “Flat Bucky” has been sent by mail to donors, who are encouraged to post photos of themselves with Bucky and post to their social media using #FlatBucky and #ETSUDayofGiving.
For more information, call University Advancement at 423-439-4242 or email seejs1@etsu.edu.