What makes you proud to be a Ram?
Students, alumni, and extended members of the Ram family will get a chance to showcase their Fordham pride at Fordham’s Second Annual Giving Day.
The fundraising event, to be held on March 6 through March 7 from 12 noon EST to 12 noon EST, supports Fordham’s schools and programs with an emphasis on Faith & Hope: The Campaign for Financial Aid.
In 2017, the University surpassed its goal of engaging 1,750 donors during its inaugural event, raising $786, 271 from 2,101 Fordham donors. This year, Fordham hopes to engage 2,500 donors in a 24-hour period.
“Last year was our first-ever Fordham Giving Day and it was super successful,” said Elaine Ezrapour, assistant director of the Fordham Fund. “We hope to bring more awareness and excitement to this year’s Giving Day. ”
Alumni, friends, students, and faculty will gather together in support of Fordham Giving Day at a reception held at the Lincoln Center campus on March 6 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. and 5 – 8 p.m. at the Westchester campus.
Ezrapour said there will be day-long and hourly Giving Day challenges across social media platforms as well as on Fordham’s Rose Hill, Lincoln Center, and Westchester campuses. Fordham enthusiasts are invited to contribute gifts of all amounts to their favorite Fordham causes, from the Fordham Fund and Fordham Athletics to WFUV and Fordham Law.
“We’re gathering people around the world in a celebration of Fordham,” said Ezrapour. “If people aren’t able to give, they can still be involved in amplifying the generosity of others.”
Fordham College at Lincoln Center junior Daniel Nasta, a member of the Student Philanthropy Committee, agreed.
“This year, we have a variety of quirky social media challenges and it’s going to be really fun to watch people engage with them,” he said.
Some of the 2018 Giving Day challenges include:
- Big Giving Day Challenge: If 1,000 people give on Giving Day, a generous donor will contribute $50,000 to support scholarships and financial aid.
- Reunion Classes Challenge: If 100 gifts are made from alumni celebrating a reunion year this year (all class years ending in 3 and 8), a $2,500 gift will be unlocked.
- Fordham Swag Challenge from noon to 3 p.m.: Ramses will pick his favorite selfie posted by a supporter in Fordham gear, and $1,000 will be given to Fordham in the poster’s honor.
- Parent Challenge: All gifts made by Fordham parents will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $10,000.
- Professor Shout-Out Challenge from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Supporters who post about a Fordham professor who changed their lives will have a chance to have $1,000 donated to Fordham in honor of the donor and the professor.
- International Ram Challenge from midnight to 6 a.m.: Rams living or studying abroad who post a selfie that is representative of their current country will have a chance to have $1,000 donated to Fordham in their honor.
Sabrina Sabio, a senior at the Gabelli School, said every effort on Giving Day has the potential to create a ripple effect.
“From supporting our Fordham Fund to donating to a specific school, there’s always a place to contribute to,” said Sabio, who served as a student ambassador at the 2017 Giving Day on behalf of the Student Philanthropy Committee. “Even the smallest donation can help unlock larger challenges that ultimately benefit the community as a whole.”
