The Colorado Mesa University Foundation is hosting the third annual Day of Giving to celebrate Colorado Mesa University’s 94th birthday. The festivities will take place Apr. 10 on the Plaza from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., complete with birthday cake and an oversized birthday card.
The event aims to support organizations on campus through donation. According to Tina Kleespies, chief operating officer and director of annual giving for the Colorado Mesa University Foundation, several student-driven organizations prepare campaigns to not only showcase the achievement of campus clubs and departments, but to raise money to help them reach various goals.
“Donors can choose from 18 individual campaigns to support,” Kleespies said. “The campaigns vary from student clubs and organizations, research, scholarships, athletics and more.”
This year, there are donor challenges that offer the student-led campaigns extra incentive. According to Kleespies, the campaign with the most donors at noon on Apr. 10 will receive a $250 bonus. Additionally, a donation from the CMU Foundation Board of Directors and an equal match from Commerce Trust, the project with the most donors at the end of Apr. 10 will receive a $5000 match.
“Day of Giving is an opportunity to institutionalize giving in small amounts and large amounts,” Director of Public Relations David Ludlam said. “Just the spirit of giving, whether it be from employees, from staff, or the community.”
Among the Maverick campaigns, the Mesa Emerging Designers club is raising money to attend a design conference in Las Vegas. The CMU Genders and Sexualities Alliance has their eyes on a conference as well—the Time to THRIVE conference in Washington, D.C. Other organizations involved include the theatre department, the Ho’olikahi Polynesian Student Alliance and the CMU Athletic Department. Students will have the chance to donate to stock the CMU Food Bank. The community can donate until the end of April 10.
“This is an opportunity to engage literally everybody in the campus community and the community at large,” Ludlam said. “Moving in the same direction, toward philanthropy and contributing to the institution.”
As to why Day of Giving falls on CMU’s birthday, Tina Kleespies said: “There’s not a better way to acknowledge our Universities’ success than to celebrate by giving back.”
