Solynna Crownson/Nubian Message
Ashley Graham, a fourth-year studying finance and accounting, and Alexandria Gilmore Harris, a fourth-year studying business administration and marketing, dye t-shirts at an event for NC State’s Day of Giving at Stafford Commons on Wednesday, March 27, 2019.
Oluwajoba Ogun | Staff Writer
NC State’s first Day of Giving raised $13.5 million from 10,810 gifts to several funds and endowments across campus on Wednesday, March 27.
“We just want students to know, I mean, that they can make an impact,” said Kara Mulligan, the assistant director for Day of Giving. “There’s so many places that you can give that directly affect students, so it’s really students helping students, students helping your peers.”
During the day, people had the opportunity to give to colleges and other campus programs, like student affairs and NCSU Libraries.
Many organizations on campus collaborated to teach students about the purpose of Day of Giving, like the NC State chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Berkeley Bryant, the social media specialist for the College of Natural Resources, talked about the positive impact that the Day of Giving can have on the university.
“For the College of Natural Resources, the money that we’re raising is going back to the students themselves,” Bryant said. “So I think they’re really going to see the impact with the money that we’re raising today when they start seeing the changes in their organizations and their classes and having more resources for them.”
Overall, many students had a similar opinion on the event. They liked the idea of people choosing a specific destination for their donations.
Emily Fletcher, a fourth-year studying parks, recreation, and tourism management, said, “For me, as a student, it makes me more inclined to give because I know where my money is going and I feel like I’m making more of an impact.”
Students were encouraged to participate in the Day of Giving activities held around campus, like signing their names and writing messages of where they hope the money will be contributed.
Other students talked about how Day of Giving was able to help them with their school fees and to continue to raise awareness.
Ashley Lynn Correa, a fourth-year studying sports management, said, “I transferred in and because of that, the school was able to give me a lot more money for scholarships… That was because of students giving, and so everyone who does get a scholarship, they are affected by alumni giving, student giving, parents giving and I wanted to support that.”
Olivia Adcox, a fourth-year studying biological sciences, talked about what can be done to raise awareness on this matter.
“Let’s hear from students who benefited, maybe that would be interesting to actually have stories of students,” Adcox said. “It’s different when it’s face to face.”
Mulligan said the overall goal was to raise awareness for philanthropy and that giving back makes a good impact.
“You’re helping make NC State better because somebody gave for you,” Mulligan said. “So someone years ago made this experience possible for you and so we want you to make this experience possible for students who are coming five years down the road.”
