MSUToday Editor's Note, Nov. 27
In a normal week, this space is reserved for a note from the MSUToday editor, Lisa Mulcrone. But this is no normal week. No, it’s the week before Give Green Day (Dec. 3, please set a reminder!), so Lisa let the Marketing and Communications team at University Advancement take over MSUToday to express how important Give Green Day is to Michigan State University—and Give Green Day is extremely important.
First, to introduce myself, my name is Liam Boylan-Pett. I am the Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications for University Advancement at Michigan State University. Our office works with University Development and the MSU Alumni Office to build lasting relationships with alumni, friends and donors who care about MSU as much as we do.
Today, we’re sharing stories that will get you excited for Give Green Day, our 24-hour, online effort to raise money to support students at MSU. Last year on Give Green Day, MSU alumni, family and friends raised over $788,000 thanks to more than 4,000 gifts (725 of which were first-time donors). With your help, we’re hoping to blow past both of those numbers this year.
You will see throughout this issue of MSUToday that those gifts matter—they impact students in every corner of MSU.
You can find a projects page on the Giving Day site, which lists each potential college or area of interest you can support.
On Give Green Day this year, the College of Natural Science is focusing on the Undergraduate Emergency Assistance Fund. The fund assists NatSci undergraduate students that encounter minor financial needs and challenges during the school year. Students sometimes face the prospect of being unable to pay a bill or buy a textbook—this fund can keep them on track to graduate on time. NatSci isn’t the only one with an Emergency Assistance Fund, the College of Arts and Letters, the MSU Center for Survivors, the Honors College and other units are focusing on raising funds for their respective emergency assistance scholarships, as well.
There are many opportunities to make an impact on a matter that is important to you. The College of Engineering is highlighting women in engineering. MSU Libraries will use the funds raised this year to buy textbooks that students can check out at the library.
This newsletter is about more than the impact on students, though. It’s also about the people who make Give Green Day happen. Like Jiahao She, who made his first gift to MSU on Give Green Day last year. Or, fund champions George and Janet Eyster, who will make a matching gift of up to $5,000 to Veterinary Medicine and the CVM Endowed Scholarship Fund. Or an alumnus who received a scholarship from one of our alumni clubs a few years ago, and how that helped him land a job in the automotive industry.
Inspiring stories aren’t hard to find on Give Green Day. We hope that you’ll join in on the fun Dec. 3—each and every gift makes an impact at MSU.
Thank you so much for taking the time to explore the Give Green Day website, and please join us next week. Go Green … and give green, too.
Liam Boylan-Pett
MSU Advancement
