Giving Day is a yearly online fundraising event that encourages alumni, students, parents, and friends of the University to come together to support their favorite schools and programs and help them win prizes in matching funds.
In the days leading up to Giving Day, a share of $26,000 was offered to each of the five schools or programs with the most Giving Day Advocates, who pledged to spread the word about Giving Day on social media. GS placed first in this contest with 1187 Advocates, winning an additional $10,000.
On Giving Day, donors raised an impressive total of $221,187 for GS, and a percentage of this amount was matched by the University Trustees, bringing in an additional $5,592 for the School. GS also won two of the Hourly Prize Challenges, the 29th #ColumbiaGivingDay Hashtag Challenge and the Random Columbia Blue Selfie Challenge, each netting an additional $7,000 for GS.
Adding to the festive and competitive spirit of Giving Day, the Offices of Student Life and Development sponsored Drench the Dean, an event that gave students the chance to drench Dean Harford carnival-style in exchange for their donation to the School. Dean Peter J. Awn bolstered this effort by committing to match the funds of every dollar donated.
The generous donations from alumni, students, parents, and friends of GS and the wider University made the third annual Columbia Giving Day a huge success! Together, we raised a total of $11,064,924 for the University, with 10,452 gifts from 50 states and 53 countries. Your gifts will help us change lives that change the world.
