Vanderbilt University’s annual Giving Day is tomorrow, April 21. The entire community is invited to stand together as One Vanderbilt to help advance the university’s mission: the lifelong realization of human potential. Gifts of all sizes to any area of the university make a difference.
Give on the Green, the official Giving Day party, is happening from noon to 4 p.m. on Library Lawn. There will be food, giveaways, lawn games, a lounge area and more. Free boxed lunches will be available from noon to 2 p.m., and King of Pops will be offering ice pops starting at 2 p.m. All faculty and staff are encouraged to take a break and stop by. Check out the full list of Giving Day events.
“Vanderbilt’s culture is built on the belief that people working in common purpose accomplish more than any individual ever could,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “Giving Day is the epitome of that—with every corner of the Vanderbilt community coming together to invest in moving the university forward.”
Giving Day also is a chance to celebrate the impact of the Vanderbilt community’s philanthropy. Tomorrow, the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center will host a grand opening celebration of its new courtyard. Last year’s Giving Day donations to the BCC funded the transformation of the outdoor space.
“I think it’s important for donors to see and feel the impact their gifts have,” said Rosevelt Noble, assistant dean of residential colleges, director of the Black Cultural Center and faculty head of Stambaugh House. “We’ll gather tomorrow and celebrate the fruits of last year’s Giving Day. What once was fenced off and overgrown with ivy is now an attractive, inviting, useful gathering space.”
Generous members of the Vanderbilt community also have lined up nearly $1.5 million in challenges for donors to unlock with their gifts. These include social media challenges, a first-time donor challenge and several school-specific dean’s challenges. More information about these and other challenges will be shared throughout Giving Day.
Since 2016, Giving Day has been an annual opportunity for Vanderbilt faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents and friends to come together from every corner of the Vanderbilt community to move the university forward.
Last year, more than 7,000 members of the Vanderbilt community came together in a single day to raise more than $5 million with gifts ranging in size from $1 to $1 million. Since its inception, Giving Day has generated more than $24 million for more than 200 programs and funds.
Make your gift and learn more about challenges and events at vu.edu/givingday.