TU Big Give is bigger than anticipated

By Sean Welsh on June 19, 2019

For the same amount as a morning latte at a local coffee shop, members of the Towson University community were called upon to participate in "The Big Give" — TU's first giving week.

And not only did the TU community respond to the call to action to give back — they did so in a volume and frequency that outpaced the expectations from the Office of University Advancement.

"The culture of giving on TU's campus is strong and it is only getting stronger," President Kim Schatzel said. "Our entire campus community should be proud of this effort, as it involves so many people from so many different colleges, divisions and community groups. Best of all — so much of what was raised during The Big Give goes back into the classrooms, laboratories and programs that directly impact our students."

During the week, which ran from April 22 to 26, more than 1,200 donors raised $100,000 for the university — doubling the goal in funds and tripling the goal for participants.

The average gift was more than $80. While many other universities set a minimum to participate at $1, the Annual Campaign leadership set out a baseline of $5. Every donor received a letter of recognition.

The participation speaks to the momentum in TU's culture of philanthropic giving.

"As the director of the annual campaign, in the Office of University Advancement, "My colleagues and I knew that TU Big Give was an opportunity for us to show everyone that at Towson University, we embrace a culture of generosity, collaboration, and paying it forward," said Nkiruka S. McGinnis, Director of the Annual Campaign. "We knew that the best way to do this was to use a week to share with everyone the good that our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are doing."

McGinnis' team set a theme to each day of the week, engaging with various parts of the TU community.

"We wanted people to see and understand the impact that someone’s philanthropic support has on every single member of TU, and the endless amounts of opportunities there are when we all come together to support one another, and an institution that has given so much to us all," she said.

More than 400 participants made their first gift to TU during "The Big Give." More than 500 alumni made gifts.

Donors were asked to consider a gift to the TU Fund, with options to support funds within colleges, the Tiger Athletics Fund or to write in their own designation.

McGinnis added: "We are so glad that TU Big Give was fantastic this year, and we are excited to make this a tradition here at Towson University. We are making history here at Towson University and for that we are #TUproud."

Missed The Big Give but want to make an impact on a student's experience? Learn more here.

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel’s priorities for Towson University: Culture of Philanthropy.