50 hours, 50 scholarships, 50 years of impact

What do Calgary’s best-known coffee and fresh sourdough, the new downtown public library, educational support for special needs’ students, and psycho-social support for families dealing with cancer have in common?

More than you might think.

Each are making a difference in the everyday lives of people in our community. Each started with an amazing University of Calgary alum. And for each, scholarships made it possible for these remarkable alumni to spark meaningful change in our world … or at least impact our everyday lives.

That’s why UCalgary’s first-ever Giving Day, which will take place from 11 a.m. April 27 to 1 p.m. on April 29, is all about our students — and supporting them through scholarships and awards. In celebration of our 50th anniversary, our Giving Day will run for 50 hours, with the goal of raising funds for 50 new scholarships.

And what’s more? All gifts to student scholarships on Giving Day will be matched, so you can double your impact.*

“One of the highlights of our first annual Giving Day is that it’s all about students. Access to scholarships and awards make a difference for the student experience, and we are excited to tell that story,” says Nuvyn Peters, vice-president, Development and Alumni Engagement. “But it’s also a great opportunity to tell the stories of our alumni and the incredible work they do, create a sense of pride both on campus and in the community, and celebrate donors and all that is made possible through philanthropy.” 

University leadership, institutionally and across faculties, have committed to be Giving Day ambassadors and spreading the word to their peers. All faculty and staff, as those who know first-hand the impact scholarships have on students and the importance of UCalgary in the community, please share your pride and passion:

• Share, retweet and like Giving Day social media posts
• Share your personal story about the impact of student awards — either for you as someone who works with students or as one of our many faculty/staff alumni who benefitted from scholarships (using #UCalgaryGivingDay)
• Make a gift — all gifts, no matter the size, make an impact

Gifts can be directed to a specific faculty, and a number of faculties have challenges in the works to raise the stakes for the day overall. 

All faculty and staff who participate in Giving Day will be recognized in our Campus Giving Program, which will roll out in September. If you have faculty and staff who are interested in making a collective gift to Giving Day, please contact Jennifer Pendura, associate director of Development, Campaign, at jennifer.pendura@ucalgary.ca.

While Giving Day doesn’t start until April 27, the campaign kicks off today. So stay tuned, by following #UCalgaryGivingDay on our alumni and institutional social channels or on our website.

All funds towards scholarships on Giving Day will be counted towards the Energize: The Campaign for Eyes High, our ambitious $1.3 billion goal to fuel transformational change for the University of Calgary, our city and beyond. 

* Gifts will be matched by a group of donors. Donor funds will be matched up to $2,500 per gift with a cumulative cap of $250,000.