Elmhurst College Raises Over $100K During Day of Giving

ELMHURST, IL -Elmhurst College received 657 gifts and raised $121,000 as alumni, faculty, staff and students came together to give back and change lives during the college’s inaugural Day of Giving on April 20.

According to a release, the Elmhurst College Day of Giving raised funds to support scholarships, faculty development and other benefits to students. All day long, the giving never stopped. Donors issued a number of challenges that not only were met but were surpassed:

• The Power of Many Challenge: Board of Trustee member Gina Prochaska ’88 pledged $25,000 if 250 alumni donated gifts of $50 or more. Of the total number of gifts, about half came from alumni.
• President Troy and Dr. Annette VanAken Challenge: The VanAkens agreed to donate $10,000 to support faculty and staff professional development once the campus community reached 45 percent giving participation. In fact, faculty and staff achieved a participation rate of more than 60 percent.
• Barbara and Robert W. Swords Light of Knowledge Challenge: A.C. Buehler Library Director Susan Swords Steffen agreed to match all gifts 2:1 made from alumni from the Classes of 1968-1988 who supported the Barbara and Robert W. Swords Light of Knowledge Scholarship (up to $2,500).
• Students also have given back to the College, with 100 seniors contributing to the class gift so far.

“I’m so gratified to see the commitment on the part of our alumni and the campus community to Elmhurst College and its success,” President VanAken said in a release. “One of our key messages this academic year has been The Power of Many, and the results from our Day of Giving demonstrate why that message will help to take us to our goals and dreams.”