The university community came together and set a new record for participants and money raised
A record-breaking 8,684 gifts poured into Tufts’ schools on Giving Tuesday, November 27, raising nearly $2.5 million, including the forty-five challenge gifts unlocked throughout the day.
This was the sixth year that Tufts participated in the global day of giving, and also the sixth time the Tufts community came together and surpassed the university’s goal of 8,000 gifts this year. Gifts came from all fifty states and twenty-nine countries; more than 1,900 students contributed as well.
Donors could select their favorite program or area at Tufts to support. What they chose ran the gamut, with gifts designated to: financial aid, faculty research, student activities, and many other university priorities. Jumbo athletics teams participated again this year in a competition across varsity and club-sport leaderboards as they sought the top spot of most donors, which would earn them the chance to take home a prize for their team.
Every professional school, in addition to Tisch College, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, not only met, but far surpassed their various challenges. University-wide, the Tufts community unlocked eight Brighter World challenges, each redeemed after 1,000 gifts had been made.
There were also new records set for student and international donors thanks to specific challenge donors helping to spur giving. And just when the Tufts community thought it was over, the Board of Trustees issued a series of additional bonus challenges inspiring at least 500 more gifts in the wee hours of the morning.
From humorous to poignant, social media was trending with #TuftsGivingTuesday posts. “I donated to #TuftsGivingTuesday @TuftsPH and @TuftsNutrition because I’m a #doublejumbo and want #Scholarships for #tuftsphpd and #tuftsnutrition #francesstern students. Here’s to all the future #jumbos,” tweeted Kimberly Dong, N02, a research assistant professor at the School of Medicine who also received her doctorate in public health from Tufts last year.
All the campuses were buzzing in person, too, as volunteers—including a number of undergraduate students—staffed tables to encourage student and faculty/staff giving. “It is inspirational to see the entire Tufts community come together to give back to something larger than ourselves,” said Harry Kong, A20, who was working at one of the tables. “I think the excitement and overwhelming support we received for Tufts Giving Tuesday is telling of who we are as an institution.”
If you missed the action, you can see all the results at givingdays.tufts.edu.
Monica Jimenez can be reached at monica.jimenez@tufts.edu.
