Each year for UCF Day of Giving, which falls on Thursday, April 10 this year, the university offers challenges for Knights to unlock nearly $60,000 in additional funds for the areas that matter most to them.
The majority of funds can be unlocked simply by making a donation. For example, the first and last person to donate during the day earn an additional $1,000 to the area they designate, which can be as far ranging as a college, program, scholarship or the Area of Greatest Need. Last year, the College of Arts and Humanities won the most of all areas, garnering an additional $9,000 in donations for participating in everything from the first gift and the largest online gift to the most gifts during different hour blocks.
And to earn some of these additional funds, you don’t even need your wallet — just a social media platform of your choosing. In fact, there are 22 different opportunities throughout UCF Day of Giving to provide the area you’re most passionate about an additional $1,000 simply by posting and using the hashtag: #UCFDayofGiving.
Categories give participants a chance to share their Black & Gold spirit in a variety of ways from photos of their pets in Knight Nation gear to celebrating what they love most about being a Knight through photos and videos of Spirit Splash, game day, graduation and more.
Here are a handful of the social media posts that won challenges last year, along with who posted them, their impact, why they participated — and why they encourage you to join in the fun as well.
The Challenge: UCF Squad Photo
The Impact: $1,000 for UCF Kinesiology
The Participant: David Fukuda, professor and chair of kinesiology
Why I Participated: “Our academic support services manager, Lana Gidusko, does a phenomenal job handling social media for the Division of Kinesiology and encouraged everyone to participate in the UCF Day of Giving social media challenges. Every Halloween, our graduate students in the UCF Physiology of Work and Exercise Response (POWER) Laboratory organize group costumes, and I thought the photo of them as Power Rangers aligned perfectly with the spirit of the Squad Challenge.
When I won, I chose to give the $1,000 to benefit UCF kinesiology students, who are the backbone of the research being conducted in the laboratories of the Institute of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Sciences. Their efforts make our work shine, and they inspire so many of our incoming students to become more involved.”
Why You Should Participate: “Supporting education, including students who will be an integral part of keeping society moving and healthy, is never an unwise investment.”
The Challenge: Future Knight Photo
The Impact: $1,000 for the Marching Knights Bands Building Fund
The Participant: Jennifer Merritt Beran ’99
Why I Participated: “I wanted to raise awareness and give back to the band program that I loved so much while I attended UCF.
My husband and I met in the Marching Knights on the last day of band camp in 1997. We now have two kids, who we have taken to many football games and other events over the years. They have grown up at UCF. Our daughter, Morgan, was only 9 months old when she attended her first football game at, what was then, the Citrus Bowl. She is now a sophomore at UCF, majoring in biology and playing the mellophone in the band — just like her dad. We are hoping our son, Joey, who is a percussionist in middle school, will also become a Knight in 2029.
When I won the competition, I knew I’d direct the $1,000 to the band. I feel, as with other areas of the arts, the band never gets enough funding. I’m proud our donations helped to fund lights for students and hope they get a permanent sound system. It’s important to me that band students have their own building and field space on campus. I want to make sure they have everything they need to grow as musicians and as people.”
Why You Should Participate: “I believe others should participate in UCF Day of Giving social media challenges and give to the band, so our Marching Knights continue to know how valued their dedication is — and so they receive the things that make their time here at UCF the best it can be and build memories that last a lifetime.”
The Challenge: Favorite UCF GIF
The Impact: $1,000 for the Jacksonville UCF Alumni Community
The Participant: Becky Koziuk ’03, chair-elect of the Jacksonville UCF Alumni Community
Why I Participated: “I participated in a couple of the UCF Day of Giving social media challenges, which are a great way for alumni to get involved in UCF Day of Giving even if you’re not currently able to make a donation. It’s proven that being involved and active, even if not financially, is just as important to the growth and brand of UCF.
I strategically chose the GIF challenge because it was the last challenge of the night. A large percentage of UCF alumni are on the east coast, if not in Florida, so my strategy was based around the thinking that the number of entrants to choose from was likely lower than other challenges. I thought the folks who had been monitoring social posts for 24 hours could use a little energy to bring them across the finish line, so I shared one of a pumped Terry Mohajir [UCF athletics director].
I chose the Jacksonville Alumni Community because I have been part of the volunteer council for the last 10+ years. I was the chair for many years and have also held the roles of National Networking Knight Chair, fundraising chair and chair-elect, which I currently hold. Several years ago, I — along with the board/council members — established an annual scholarship intended to be awarded to a First Coast-Area Knight. We started with a $250 scholarship that has since grown to $1,000. It has been my passion and goal for the Jacksonville Alumni scholarship to endure, even long after I am no longer a volunteer, and eventually be endowed.”
Why You Should Participate: “It’s important to participate in UCF Day of Giving for several reasons. It’s a day where all of Knight Nation comes together for a single goal — to advance UCF. Some choose to donate to athletics, some to their specific college, some to Knights Pantry or Limbitless Solutions. These investments provide the financial freedom to attract the best professors, researchers and coaches. It also allows students to graduate with less debt than they might have or may even enable them to afford groceries or rent so they can graduate.
“It doesn’t matter which fund you choose or even the amount of the donation — the power of scalability helps make it successful. Gifts of any amount from several alumni and donors tremendously helps UCF.”
The Challenge: #SpaceU
The Impact: $1,000 for 4EVER KNIGHTS
The Participant: Brooke Johnson, kinesiology major
Why I Participated: “Each year, I participate in UCF Day of Giving because I believe that as a student, it is important for me to give back to a university that has done so much for me. Participating in the daylong event is how I choose to show my love for the university and support for future students.
Last year, I participated in every social media challenge throughout the day to try to earn bonus funds. #SpaceU happened to be my favorite challenge of the day because I was able to use photos from the UCF versus Oklahoma State football game where we won 45-3 in an upset and rushed the field. I enjoyed getting to relive that moment through the social media challenge.
I selected 4EVER KNIGHTS (4EK) as my fund of choice because it is an organization that is very important to me. I have been a part of this organization for three years and have served as the president for the last two years. 4EK works to educate students about philanthropy on campus and UCF Day of Giving is our favorite day of the year as ambassadors. With the bonus funds, we have been able to create new experiences for ambassadors within our organization.”
Why You Should Participate: “I believe that others should always participate in the bonus fund challenges. Not only is it super fun to look back on UCF memories with the various prompts like #SpaceU, UCF pet or UCF crew, but it is also a great way to stay engaged with the university. UCF is a part of all of our stories. Whether we are students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents or supporters, we are all a part of the UCF family. Participating in these challenges and UCF Day of Giving is the best way to bring our UCF Family together.”
The Challenge: UCF Pet Photo
The Impact: $1,000 for the College of Community Innovation and Education
The Participant: Danielle Hendrix ’15 ’24MA, communications specialist for the College of Community Innovation and Education
Why I Participated: “As both a UCF employee and double Knight myself, I know from firsthand experience what a special place UCF is, and I’ll never take for granted the opportunities that being part of Knight Nation has given me. For me, it’s important to pay it forward by giving back to my alma mater — whether that be through my role here, volunteering with the Greater Orlando Knights alumni community or participating in events like UCF Day of Giving. The social media challenges happen to be my favorite element of UCF Day of Giving because they’re a fun, creative and easy way to participate in vying for bonus funds to support the areas of UCF I’m most passionate about — and because I’m competitive!
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a proud cat mom to Indie and Stevie — two of the most adorable cats in the world — and I love showing them off whenever I can. They are the cutest Knightmares, and I’m glad others agreed.
As a CCIE employee, it only felt right to give back to the college I support on a daily basis. Our college is home to a variety of programs that prepare students to positively impact the communities they’ll serve through careers in education, public administration, criminal justice, counseling and school psychology, healthcare management, legal studies and beyond. CCIE students are tomorrow’s community leaders and innovators, and I believe investing in them is also an investment in our collective future.”
Why You Should Participate: “Most of us already have and use social media, so why not use it to make a difference? Not only are they fun and simple to join in on, but in doing so, you’re also going to create a ripple effect. Even if you don’t win a particular challenge, you’re still amplifying the cause by participating and spreading the word to your network. Plus, there’s no cost to participate. If you do win, those bonus funds will be set aside for the area of your choice on your behalf. It’s a great way to engage in friendly competition while supporting Knight Nation.”
For a full list of opportunities to maximize your impact on UCF Day of Giving, April 10, visit dayofgiving.ucf.edu/prizes.
