Saint Mary’s Raises over $600,000 in 24-hour Donor Challenge
Media Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary’s College
(574) 284-4579
April 24, 2015 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—Saint Mary’s College is pleased to announce the successful completion of its third 24-Hour Donor Challenge, which was held yesterday, April 23. Two anonymous donors pledged $175,000 to the Annual Fund if 3,000 donors made gifts within 24 hours. By the end of the night, 3,486 alumnae, friends, faculty, staff and students invested $425,881 in Saint Mary’s. With the $175,000 challenge gift, more than $600,000 was raised for Saint Mary’s in just 24 hours.
The challenge was driven primarily by Saint Mary's @BellesGiveBack social media presence and more than 300 volunteers, including members of Board of Trustees, Belles of the Last Decade committee, the Alumnae Board the Madeleva Society Steering Committee, Class Gift Campaign, and student Phonathon callers.
Heather Frey, director of Annual Giving, expressed gratitude for volunteers and donors. “To see the energy and enthusiasm of the donors and volunteers whose lives were impacted by Saint Mary’s has truly been inspirational. The spirit of philanthropy that exists at Saint Mary’s will move Saint Mary’s College forward," she said.
Vice President of College Relations Shari Rodriguez added, “It’s absolutely extraordinary that the Saint Mary’s community came together in this way to show their support for the College. On the heels of our successful Faith Always, Action Now campaign, it’s heartwarming and encouraging to see how many alumnae value their education and years spent at Saint Mary’s and wish to give that same experience to future generations of students.”
The Faith Always, Action Now, a comprehensive campaign, which concluded on December 31, 2014, raised a total of $105 million in gifts and pledges, nearly $25 million more than the initial goal. Through the campaign donors invested in endowed scholarships, improved science and athletic facilities, created new summer science research opportunities for students, and the launch of graduate programs in the fall, among other projects.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. In the fall of 2015 Saint Mary’s College will begin to offer two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College’s mission is to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report.