{"id":16235,"date":"2022-03-11T18:13:47","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T18:13:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/?p=16235"},"modified":"2022-03-11T18:13:47","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T18:13:47","slug":"third-annual-fiu-305-give-day-breaks-participation-fundraising-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fiualumni.com\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/index.php\/2022\/03\/11\/third-annual-fiu-305-give-day-breaks-participation-fundraising-records\/","title":{"rendered":"Third annual FIU 305 Give Day breaks participation, fundraising records"},"content":{"rendered":"

The third annual\u00a0FIU 305 Give Day<\/a>\u00a0blew past its previous fundraising and participation records, bringing in more than $228,000 from 906 donors in the spirit of \u201cThe 305.\u201d<\/p>\n

305 Give Day shines a spotlight on the generosity of\u00a0FIU alumni<\/a>\u00a0and encourages grads to give back to their alma mater by supporting scholarships, student organizations, academic programs, research \u2013 any FIU initiative that inspires them. Each year, many other Panthers \u2013 including faculty and staff, students, family and friends of the university \u2013 donate to their favorite FIU causes, too. Last year, 673 Panthers donated $65,177 (the previous records).<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat sets 305 Give Day apart is the emphasis on participation,\u201d said Nairobi Abrams, director of loyalty and participation at the\u00a0FIU Foundation<\/a>\u00a0and leader of 305 Give Day efforts. \u201cEvery donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. The simple act of giving directly impacts the lives of students and our FIU as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to supporting opportunities for Panthers\u2019 success, alumni who give back to FIU on an annual basis also help boost FIU\u2019s rising reputation (alumni participation is a metric measured in\u00a0U.S. News & World Report\u00a0<\/em>rankings), which in turn boosts the value of an FIU degree.<\/p>\n

Alumna Ariana Flores \u201915, MS \u201918 joined the cause as a champion for the\u00a0FIU Young Alumni Network<\/a>\u00a0(YAN), raising $855 against a personal goal of $500 from 12 of her peers. Contributions raised by YAN\u2019s champions supported the Young Alumni Network Scholarship for FIU alumni pursuing graduate degrees at FIU.<\/p>\n

Flores, who is serving her first year on YAN\u2019s executive committee, said she was excited to see the outcome of this year\u2019s day of giving.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve learned how even a dollar contribution helps not only future Panthers, through our scholarship, but strengthens the value of being an FIU alumna, as well,\u201d Flores said. \u201cI wanted to become a champion to make sure that I could share the impact of a donation with my community while celebrating the 305.\u201d<\/p>\n

English alumnus Malik Wilkes \u201908 answered the call to give with a $1,000 donation to the future FIU Alumni Center, a long-anticipated addition to FIU\u2019s Modesto A. Maidique Campus. The 13,700-square-foot Alumni Center will be housed in a new building facing Tamiami Trail, which will also include a 150-bed hotel and conference center.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited for the potential of the facility. It will be a place for alumni to stay when they are visiting, to host conferences, speakers, and even weddings \u2014 all right in the heart of our city. It will be a true representation of the 305!\u201d Wilkes said.<\/p>\n

Because alumni donations between $50 and $25,000 were matched 1:1 on 305 Give Day this year, Wilkes\u2019s gift made double the impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiving to FIU on 305 Give Day was important to me because of how much the university has done for our community, from educating so many of our community leaders to being a partner to local businesses and philanthropies,\u201d Wilkes added.<\/p>\n

Alumni who missed the chance to donate on 305 Give Day but would still like to make their annual gift can learn more at\u00a0https:\/\/www.fiualumni.com\/give-back\/annual-giving\/index.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Be sure to mark your calendar for next year\u2019s FIU 305 Give Day \u2013 Sunday, March 5, 2023!<\/p>\n