UCA’s 2023 Day of Giving total was its highest in the fundraiser’s history, coming in at $1,295,497 from 1,894 donors in 32 states and 80 countries.
The 24-hour fundraiser’s previous highest total was $1,126,580 in 2020.
President Houston Davis described looking over the numbers the night before the announcement and knowing it would be big.
“When we were sitting around $850,000 or so in the system last night … it was ‘OK, we’re definitely going to go over.’”
The total brought the UCA Now campaign to $93,000,900. The campaign has a $100 million goal.
Davis recognized Haley Fowler, senior director of annual giving, for her work on UCA’s ninth Day of Giving, alongside Vice President of University Advancement Mary Lackie.
“This is my dream job,” Lackie said. “I’m also incredibly proud of Haley. You don’t see all the behind-the-scenes that happen to get the website to work, to get all the emails out, to get the mailings done. There’s a lot of work that goes on.”
Of the $1.2 million raised, UCA’s Student Government Association matched student donations for the first $3,000. The total was donated to the Annual Fund, which “provides unrestricted support for areas of greatest need,” according to UCA’s website.
Last year, SGA donated the $3,000 matching donation to the African/African American Studies program.
The Bear Essentials Food Pantry raised $5,260, a slight increase from it total last year, $4,872.
The pantry made waves across campus when it posted its empty shelves on Instagram in November 2022 and pleaded for donations, “Please help! Our shelves are almost bare.”
During the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast, emcee and associate professor of public relations Riva Brown encouraged all in attendance to donate.
SGA’s Vice President of Finance J’Lun Herron claps alongside UCA staff and faculty during the March 10 announcement of the fundraiser’s totals.
“Your voluntary monetary donation will help the UCA Bear Essentials Food Pantry keep its shelves stocked so our students can study and succeed on full stomachs,” Brown said.
President Davis said the total number was exciting, but he was more interested in the total effort from the university.
“I’m really excited about the number of departments and organizations that had an official effort — 90 groups. It’s no wonder that we have a big number,” he said.
During the Friday, March 10 announcement, Davis brought to mind a saying from basketball player Kobe Bryant to highlight how individual efforts help the group’s impact.
“Somebody said, ‘there’s no I in team’ and he said, ‘yeah, but there’s an M-E in that,’” Davis joked.
Davis reflected on the many campus projects that have received funding through special Day of Giving initiatives such as the Windgate Fine and Performing Arts Center.
“All of these milestones of success and many, many more are the result of your support. Because of your engagement, our students’ lives are being changed forever, and Arkansas is made stronger by the UCA graduates with the knowledge and creativity needed to build strong communities and a modern economy.”
For a full list of Day of Giving funds and totals, visit https://connect.uca.edu/s/1618/DoG/home.aspx?sid=1618&gid=1&sitebuilder=1&pgid=1232.