Donor Day focuses on generous alumni

By Melody Foree

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Students will be given the opportunity to show gratitude with personal messages to donors and alumni who have helped impact their college experience on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Student Government Association and the Office of Development’s Thank-a-Donor Day.

Located in the courtyard between the Whitehall Classroom Building and Ralph G. Anderson Building, the event will allow students to express thanks in keeping with the upcoming holiday season, said Kyle Larimore, the associate director of annual giving in the Office of Development.

The idea for the event, currently in its first year, originated from viewing videos made by Franklin College, the University of Arkansas and Syracuse University’s versions of Thank-a-Donor Days, said Larimore and Sarah Fitzgerald, associate director of annual giving.

The Office of Development chose to co-sponsor with the Student Government Association because “they are a great organization, know a lot of people on campus and can get the word out,” Fitzgerald said.

Students are invited to sign a large “Thank you” banner and record video messages to donors, according to an email by student body president Jake Ingram. The messages will be shared with all UK donors by email around Thanksgiving.

According to information provided by the Office of Development, UK received 91,501 gifts from 53,724 donors during the 2014 fiscal year. Recently, the second floor study space in the W.T. Young Library was funded entirely by donor gifts.

Students can get involved on the Annual Giving Facebook and Twitter accounts, Fitzgerald and Larimore said.

Larimore said he is hoping for the event to be a success.

“(We’re) looking forward to doing it within following years,” Larimore said. “Perhaps hold the event at other places around campuses such as the library and healthcare building.”