LTU’s fifth annual Giving Day—24 hours of online giving—will take place April 8.
The number of alumni who donated to the LTU scholarship fund, the emergency scholarship fund, or other meaningful areas has grown from 119 on LTU’s first Giving Day to 156 last year. (The total number of Giving Day donors—inclusive of alumni and other members of the LTU community—was 237).
The Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement hopes to increase the number of alumni donors at this year’s Giving Day to over 200. Rachel Hicken—the University’s associate director of annual giving—sees Giving Day as a way to give back, especially for alumni who haven’t donated before.
“It’s an opportunity to leave your mark at your alma mater,” Hicken said. “Making that first-time donation symbolizes your wish for future Blue Devils to have opportunities for scholarships, especially if scholarships helped make your LTU education possible.”
A livestream broadcast hosted by the Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement and Yellow Flag Productions (LTU’s marketing agency) were added to the event in 2023 and 2024, and featured interviews with faculty, staff, and students—plus alumni such as Joe Fadool (BSEE’89), who will serve as keynote speaker for LTU’s Scholarship Gala on May 17th. The livestream will return this year, with a special tribute to beloved faculty member Ken Cook, who will be inducted posthumously into the College of Engineering’s Hall of Fame on Giving Day.
Last year, two alumni celebrations in Southfield and Grand Rapids were added to Giving Day as a way for alumni to connect with fellow Blue Devils.
“It was really fun to bring the Blue Devil energy to Grand Rapids,” said ’13 alum Joy Sportel, who co-hosted the event with her LTU alum husband Tony Sabat (’13). “Tony and I were really excited to be part of it and build momentum around alumni in the Grand Rapids area.”
The gatherings will continue in 2025 in Grand Rapids and Southfield. The Southfield celebration will be held at Fuddruckers on Evergreen near LTU’s campus; the Grand Rapids celebration will be held at Founders’ Brewery, where it was held last year.
For more info on Giving Day, to make a donation or to register for a Giving Day celebration, visit: ltu.edu/givingday
By: Pam Houghton
