ASHLAND, Ohio – The office of institutional advancement at Ashland University reported a record Day of Giving, which was held during a 36-hour window on March 23-24. More than $350,000 was raised—the most ever for the eighth annual event—for a variety of initiatives, all of which support student success.
The record amount came from 679 donors, comprised of alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the university. Each donor had the option to designate their gift to a specific area or make an unrestricted gift to the Ashland Fund, which allows the university to direct resources to the areas of greatest need. There were 43 designations in all, including student scholarships, research, athletics, student organizations, military and veteran support and study abroad trips.
Gifts came in from 22 different states. While Ohio had the most donors and other nearby states were well represented, donations also came in from the likes of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
Christy Grundy, interim executive director of institutional advancement, was delighted with the final results from AU’s 2023 Day of Giving. “Our team is filled with gratitude for this community after such a successful Day of Giving. Each of these gifts shows the commitment from our board, alumni, friends, faculty and staff to our students and Ashland University,” she said.
Grundy added, “Together, we raised more than $135,000 toward annual student scholarships and $9,000 for the student emergency fund. (This) generosity will be deeply impactful. Thanks to all who worked diligently behind the scenes to make this day happen.”