Elmhurst College Giving Day Raises Over $250K

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst College friends, alumni, faculty, staff and students came together on Thursday, May 3, and set another record, raising $287,810 during the College’s second annual #JayItForward Giving Day. The college said more than 1,000 donors from 33 states contributed to the 24-hour fundraiser to benefit Elmhurst students, with the final number exceeding the original $200,000 goal by nearly half.

President Troy D. VanAken announced the final results Friday morning during a campus celebration also shared on Facebook Live. As Giving Day ambassadors showed each digit one by one, cheers erupted when the record-setting amount was fully revealed, the college said.

“That’s a new record,” VanAken said, “and it’s a testament to the fact that when we pull together, we can do anything.”

The money raised will support numerous causes at Elmhurst College, including the student scholarship fund, the Honors Program, student research, the American Dream Scholarship for first-generation college students, student leadership programs, Bluejay Backers Athletics, and more, according to the college.

During the reveal event Friday morning, VanAken thanked all of the donors not only for their monetary gifts but also for their strong, collective commitment to Elmhurst College, its students and the future.

“This has been a fantastic event and we’ve had a phenomenal year—it’s because people are pulling together,” he said.

Image via Elmhurst College.