Donors earn $25,000 for students during Pitt Day of Giving

Pitt-Bradford donors earned a $25,000 bonus for students during Pitt Day of Giving held last week.

The annual 24-hour fundraising event, in commemoration of the University of Pittsburgh's founding on Feb. 28, 1787, supports scholarships, research, academic programs, student activities and regional campuses. Gifts were made to every University of Pittsburgh school, college and campus as the number of donors increased 89 percent compared to last year.

Challenges worth $200,000 sparked friendly competition among Pitt schools, programs and student groups.

Pitt-Bradford won the challenge for greatest growth in donors, eclipsing its 2018 total by 464 percent. The win earned the campus a $25,000 bonus, in addition to the more than $2,000 given by donors to benefit the Dean Evans Legacy Fund, Pitt-Bradford's Annual Fund and academic priorities.

The bonus will be used for academic priorities on campus.

Faculty and staff made up more than half the donors in the one-day online campaign. Alumni from the 1960s to 2018, parents of current students, friends of the university, retired employees and students gave as well.

“Pitt day of Giving is a Day where philanthropy is celebrated on all of our Pitt campuses,” said Jill Dunn, executive director of Institutional Advancement at Pitt-Bradford. “It's a wonderful program because it emphasizes how important gifts are of any size.”