Dalton State’s second annual Giving Day recently raised a quarter of a million dollars for various initiatives that support students, academic programs and athletics.
“We are deeply honored by the response to this year’s Giving Day,” said David Elrod, director of the Dalton State Foundation. “Nearly 300 donors made gifts and pledges totaling $252,684 to 60 different funds across campus, including our seven Giving Day projects. We emphasize ‘donors can give to one of our Giving Day projects or any area of the college they love most,’ and this year showed they love a lot of different things about Dalton State.”
“We are proud to have earned this level of support for only our second Giving Day,” said Dr. Margaret Venable, president of Dalton State. “Most of these gifts will go straight to work for the benefit of our students, while other gifts received last week were for endowment funds that will exist forever and support scholarships. We rely on this kind of philanthropic support from our alumni and friends to produce the future leaders of our communities, state and nation.”
Donors could track the day’s progress on the college’s social media channels that featured real-time updates of fundraising totals and Giving Day projects.
“Each gift represents the donor’s confidence in Dalton State and a belief that higher education can and does change lives,” Elrod said. “Giving Day gifts ranged from five dollars to $25,000, and we are grateful for every one of them.
“Of particular note this year was the number of community leaders who personally supported Giving Day,” he said. “It is a powerful statement that leaders of other organizations and companies give to Dalton State. They see the difference having the college as a neighbor makes for them. We are proud of those partnerships.”
Donors designated $141,068 to scholarships for financial need and academic merit, and $22,392 for academic programs and related projects such as technology funds and the Turtle Assurance Colony. Donors gave $85,233 for athletics and $3,991 for the foundation’s unrestricted use in support of the college’s areas of greatest need.
Next year’s Giving Day will be on Oct. 20, but the foundation encourages philanthropy for the college throughout the year.
Donors interested in learning more about giving to Dalton State should visit giving.daltonstate.edu or contact the Dalton State Foundation at 706-272-4473.
