Day of Giving Soars to New Record

“Thank you to everyone in our SDSU community who helped make the Day of Giving a huge success.”

San Diego State University’s Day of Giving raised more than $304,000 in its fourth annual day of philanthropy, setting a record by exceeding last year’s donation total by almost 10%. 

The Sept. 25 online giving event, sponsored for a second consecutive year by PostalAnnex, generated gifts of varying amounts from more than 1,000 individuals benefitting students, faculty, research and important campus programs.

Surpassing a quarter-million-dollar goal, SDSU’s Day of Giving 2019 was a success for dozens of university entities receiving donations. At the top of the list was the Wallace Shatsky Blackburn Courage Through Cancer Fund which received almost $92,000 to help SDSU students affected by cancer.

The largest donation of the day was made by Fred Pierce (’84, ’88) who contributed a base donation of $36,000 to the Courage Through Cancer Fund. Pierce’s gift will be used toward housing for students in crisis.

“Thank you to everyone in our SDSU community who helped make the Day of Giving a huge success,” said Assistant Vice President of SDSU Alumni Dan Montoya (’04) in an expression of appreciation to donors. “Your generosity has created new opportunities for students, faculty and staff at San Diego State University where your support makes a significant impact.”

First to give

Donations from hundreds of students, faculty and staff were counted along with gifts from alumni and parents of SDSU students.
More than 300 students formed a line extending from the SDSU Bookstore’s south entrance along Centennial Walkway to the north steps of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.

For a gift of $15 to the Wallace Shatsky Blackburn Courage Through Cancer Fund, students had the opportunity to receive a Hydro Flask tumbler which the company had contributed for the event. First in line was Christina George, a criminology and geography double major who staked out a spot on the bookstore’s south entrance landing at 8:10 a.m. for the Hydro Flask giveaway that began at 10 a.m. 

“I got here early because I heard the line will wrap around the building,” said George, a junior transfer student who hopes to become a geographic information systems crime and intelligence analyst. To pass time waiting to make her donation, she studied for a criminal justice class.
George explained that she supports a variety of cancer-related causes as a donor and volunteer because her father died from the disease. “It is something dear to my heart,” she said.

“I think giving should be a part of everybody’s balanced life,” George said. “I think it is just as important to give as it is to have goals or be driven in your career, so it’s good to take time out of your day just to do nothing but give.”
If you missed the opportunity to donate during the Day of Giving, visit SDSU Crowdfunding for more opportunities to support SDSU.