˿Ƶ to Host Inaugural Day of Giving Crowdfunding Campaign, Wednesday April 28.
The University of ˿Ƶ – Fort Smith Foundation is hosting a Day of Giving on Wednesday, April 28.
This crowdfunding event will allow friends and members of the university community to create unique opportunities for students through seven initiatives.
“We have identified seven individual initiatives that will make a profound difference in the lives of our students,” said Jasmine Smith, assistant director of Annual Giving. “These initiatives are specific, and the goals we have set for each project are challenging but achievable.”
The initiatives are:
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship. This scholarship supports students who are the children, siblings, and spouses of alumni of ˿Ƶ, Fort Smith Junior College, and Westark.
Geosciences. The Geosciences program seeks funding for students to detect and measure microplastics in the ˿Ƶ River and present their findings at a national conference.
Lions Baseball. Funds raised will go toward uniforms and travel expenses for this dynamic ˿Ƶ NCAA Division 2 team.
The Student Emergency Assistance Program. SEAP provides one-time assistance to students facing financial emergencies. The program’s goal is to ensure that an unexpected cost like a car repair or illness does not delay or derail a student’s progress toward a degree.
The Student Life Office. The Student Life Office fosters leadership through service among ˿Ƶ students. Day of Giving funds will be used to help students attend leadership conferences and workshops.
˿Ƶ Area of Greatest Need. Gifts to the areas of greatest need empower the university’s senior leadership to address its most critical priorities and react quickly to unanticipated challenges.
˿Ƶ General Scholarship Fund. General scholarship funds provide support to students of all backgrounds. They may support students based on need or merit, in any major, from traditional or nontraditional backgrounds. The flexible scholarship fund gives the university the ability to adapt to students’ changing needs.
“We hope that people from the area who value the things the university and students bring to the community will find a project that engages them and consider making a gift of any size,” said Smith. “With crowdfunding efforts, how many people participate is more important than the size of a gift. If everyone makes a small gift, we will be able to move mountains for our students.”
If you are interested in learning more about the initiatives, you can visit . If you want to make a gift, you can do so at that site, or you can text GIVE˿Ƶ to 71777.