Let me start this message with a sincere thank you to our alumni and friends who took the time to support our mission on the WVU Day of Giving. There's no denying WVU alumni are some of the most enthusiastic, driven and thoughtful people in the country. Time and time again, we see how our alumni base comes together to support the institution we value so future generations can achieve the dream of a life-changing West Virginia University education. We know the appreciation and pride that is felt for our alma mater, but we were blown away by the support the Alumni Association and the greater University received on WVU’s sixth annual Day of Giving on March 22. You all went above and beyond!
This year's Day of Giving surpassed previous records. Thanks to alumni like you, we received over $422,000 from 455 gifts for the WVU Alumni Association alone. Both totals demonstrate the strong commitment and loyalty of the WVU alumni community. Additionally, WVU as a whole received over $18 million dollars from over 8,200 gifts, which will help support initiatives that benefit students, faculty, and in turn, our local community and state.
We are extremely grateful for our WVU Alumni Chapter leaders and members around the country, who raised over $45,000 for their scholarships. These chapter scholarships uniquely represent a level of selflessness in the Mountaineer community as our volunteers strive to increase opportunities for students in their regions to access a West Virginia University education. Our best recruitment tool for WVU is our devoted chapters, and I deeply thank all of you for your work in providing opportunities to future generations of Mountaineers. Last week, President Gee outlined three First Principles, and the scholarship funds directly support the principle of students first. Thank you to our chapters and all they do to support and care for the students of West Virginia University. As a student, there is nothing quite like the moment you are granted a scholarship to help further your education.
At the core of it all, these gifts from alumni and friends will support the Alumni Association's mission of supporting WVU students and connecting alumni around the globe. We are grateful to all of you for your dedication and commitment to the University, and we want to express our sincere appreciation for your generosity. Whether it's your time, talent, ties or treasure, your gifts keep us moving forward!
I also want to extend a warm welcome to all the new members who joined the Alumni Association during the Day of Giving! We're excited for you to join thousands of Alumni Association members around the world and encourage you to take advantage of the benefits of membership, such as travel and discounts. Membership is at the core of what we do, and I am eager to share that it's a great way to support our organization while also enjoying the benefits that come with it!
Whether you became a member of the WVU Alumni Association, purchased a brick, made a gift to a unit that is meaningful to you, or simply shared the link to spread the word during WVU Day of Giving, your support demonstrates your continued commitment to our mission, and I speak for all of us at WVU when I say that we are truly grateful from the bottom of our hearts. Thanks to you, we had a record-breaking day. Let's continue to move our University forward together.
Let's Go!
Kevin Berry ('94, '95)
WVU Vice President of Alumni Relations
CEO of the WVU Alumni Association, Inc.