Members of the UCF community raised more than $835,000 in 24 hours to support UCF during this year’s Greatest Day of Giving, a 24-hour philanthropic challenge that took place March 24 to raise funds for everything from scholarships and academic programs to athletics and student support funds.
UCF surpassed its goal of 2,021 donors for Day of Giving this year with a total of 3,133 alumni, parents, friends, students, faculty and staff members contributing to a wide range of funds that will have big impact on students and programs campus wide. Donors from almost every state in the country showed their support.
Thanks to a group of generous donors, several one-time challenge gifts helped inspire increased giving. As challenges were achieved, bonus funds were “unlocked” – adding thousands of dollars in support of UCF programs and scholarships. Members of the UCF Foundation Board sponsored a $320,800 challenge gift and members of the UCF Alumni Board sponsored $30,850.
Results are still being tallied, but so far the top-supported funds included Area of Greatest Need ($37,300) First Generation Scholarships ($36,776), Keep Charging On Fund for UCF Athletics ($23,586), Marching Band Fund ($10,772) Joyce DeGennaro Memorial Scholarship ($14,325) and Limbitless Solutions ($13,320).
A $250,000 gift from Jessica Blume ’80 and her husband, Ken, will support a scholarship program for business students who are the first in their families to attend college. This commitment, which marks the largest single gift in the history of the UCF Day of Giving campaign, will provide greater opportunities for first-generation students to graduate from college.
