Last year, Point Park University held its Day of Giving event on Nov. 14. The Day of Giving is a 24-hour celebration of community, philanthropy and the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed primarily by the generous donation of money to compelling causes.
The event showcases the many ways alumni, donors, faculty, staff, parents, and friends of Point Park are able to support the universities’ students and programs. Raising funding isn’t the only thing the event does. It also strengthens the connection between our community and Point Park.
Students could participate in many activities during the Day of Giving. Students were able to have coffee and doughnuts with President Chris Brussalis, make thank you cards for the donors, enjoy live performances from Point Park students and alumni and throw pies at their favorite professors, staff members or even the president.
The Day of Giving is an opportunity for donors to directly support the students and the programs at Point Park University. On the Day of Giving, donors can choose to contribute to a wide variety of departments and initiatives like athletics and the Pioneer Pantry.
“Every contribution, big or small, strengthens the university and helps fund hands-on learning opportunities and enhance programs that directly affect students’ education and experience,” Donors Relations Officer Emily Sjoberg said.
Leading up to the event, the Office of University Advancement worked collaboratively with the deans, department heads, leadership, trustees, alumni board members, student organizations and faculty to develop a plan to maximize the success of the Day of Giving, said Jill Zoria, assistant vice president for university advancement.
The Office of University Advancement also worked closely with its practicum student as she conducted multiple alumni and student interviews. Point Park social media accounts showcased these interviews on their platforms to persuade donors nationwide to contribute money.
“Together, these efforts ensured we effectively engaged our community and made the most of this incredible opportunity to support Point Park’s students and programs,” Zoria said.
One of the main goals of the Day of Giving was to see improvement in the funds donated compared to the previous fundraisers in January 2024 and November 2022 Days of Giving, Zoria said. During the Point Park Day of Giving in November 2022, approximately $170,000 was raised for the university.
The Day of Giving event in November 2024 raised approximately $270,000 which is a 60% increase in donations based on total dollar amount. Additionally, the total number of individual contributions and online transactions both increased by 40% compared to November 2022.
“These milestones reflect the collective effort of our alumni, faculty, staff, and friends,” Zoria said.
Moving forward, the future campaign for the Day of Giving will be shaped by applying the key learnings and additional input from Point Park students.
“We have bold aspirations for the years ahead, and with the continued support and guidance from our students and many others, we are confident that the best is yet to come,” Zoria said.
Point Park University isn’t the only institution to hold Day of Giving events. Many other organizations hold their own Day of Giving. Drew Williams, a senior animation major, donated to humanitarian efforts in Gaza because the Day of Giving provided him links to verified humanitarian efforts.
“Personally, I think it’s great and really helpful for reminding people to donate but also sharing individual cases or needs of charity that go overlooked sometimes,” Williams said.
