Anica Bustamante ’18 volunteered to call some alumni and friends of the University to ask them to participate in Make an Impact.
Did you know that alumni participation rates, or the percentage of alumni that give back to their alma mater, is a key measurement used throughout the country to rank institutions and the level of engagement among their alumni? Did you realize that donors can make a gift of any size and it will have an impact on the students at Saint Peter’s today?
Make an Impact, a 24-hour online day of giving, will be held on Thursday, March 26 from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. The day-long event is designed to inspire and support Saint Peter’s students, building on the exciting momentum of New Jersey’s only Jesuit university.
Throughout the day the University is encouraging alumni, friends and parents to make a gift of any size to support current students. Donors will have a chance to win fun prizes and contests will be held over the course of the day.
Saint Peter’s University Alumni Board members, Ann Marie Gillespie ’84 and Nikki Mederos ’07 ’10, already made a gift to be a part of the day of giving.
This latest campaign follows three years of highly-successful 24-hour and weekend campaigns. In 2012, Saint Peter’s ran a campaign to acquire 140 donors in 24 hours in honor of the University’s 140th anniversary. The goal was significantly exceeded with 382 donors who gave a grand total of $90,939. In 2013, the “Let’s Do It Again on May 10,” campaign sought to acquire 424 donors in 24 hours and that goal was also exceeded with 458 donors. In 2014 the University set a goal of 500 donors in 50 hours, which resulted in a final count of 525 donors and more than $115,425 raised for the University.
“While the previous 24-hour and weekend-long campaigns have been successful based on our goals, the true value of these campaigns is that we are building awareness about philanthropy among our alumni and future students,” said Gloria Mercurio, executive director of alumni engagement at Saint Peter’s University. “The message behind these initiatives is that a gift of any size can make difference. It is the community participation that has the biggest impact.”
To learn more about the campaign, click here to join the event on Facebook. The Office of Advancement and External Affairs will also have a table on-campus on the first floor of the Mac Mahon Student Center where members of the community can stop by to make a gift. Gifts can also be made online at www.saintpeters.edu/giving.