Spring is finally starting to show its face on campus and with it comes the annual Vandal Giving Day.
Started in 2016, Vandal Giving Day is an online-only event that raises money for scholarships, academic and enrichment programs, and research that benefits university students, according to the university press release. The event takes place from April 2 to April 3, lasting 1,889 minutes honoring the year that the University of Idaho was founded.
Vandal Giving Day’s main goal is to “celebrate the best of Idaho by supporting University of Idaho students and their future,” according to its website. The event encourages participation by using gamification, leaderboards, matches, and challenges. When donors pledge their gift to a fund of their choosing, they can specify if they want their funds matched dollar-for-dollar by other donors or if their gift will be a “challenge” that unlocks when other giving criteria are met. This setup allows for donating to be a fun and more engaging process, according to the website. The university also accepts donations in the form of stock.
Different categories for colleges and programs on campus allow donors to choose where to give their support. Some of the categories include international programs, Greek houses, Vandal athletics, the UI Children’s Center, and all of the college programs at UI.
This event also allows alumni and other community supporters to sign up to be a Vandal Giving Day Ambassador. Ambassadors will receive a toolkit containing social media-ready files and suggested messages to make the process easy and user-friendly. The ambassador who raises the most money will be eligible for prizes.
In 2023, Vandal Giving Day was able to raise $820,000, and $732,000 in 2022, according to Director of Advancement Communications Jamie Wagner, one of the organizers of this event. Wagner said that many universities and other non-profits hold annual giving days, and every gift helps.
As of 11 a.m. on April 2, only one hour into the event, $81,000 had already been raised.
To donate, become an ambassador, or learn more information, visit vandalsgive.uidaho.edu.
Rebekah Weaver can be reached at [email protected].