Hawks give back to support UHCL on Giving Tuesday
Hawks celebrated Gratitude Week again this year with Grads giving thanks, UHCL lighting of the letters and Giving Tuesday. The global phenomenon, known as Giving Tuesday, came to UHCL three years ago when Sandra Jacobson, senior coordinator for annual giving in the Office of University Advancement, had the idea to bring Giving Tuesday to campus. This year, continuing that tradition, Hawks came together Nov. 27 to give back to the community by donating to 28 different scholarships and programs.
Jacobson and her coworkers from university advancement had a station set up in Atrium I in the Bayou Building on Nov. 27 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to allow Hawks to donate. The process allows for Hawks to choose between an online donation or a physical donation, and then the donators would receive a sticker and a chance to do an “unselfie,” a photo of themselves with their reason why they support UHCL, to post on social media. The donators would then spin a wheel to win some UHCL gear like pencils and notebooks. Jacobson encouraged donators and said that every donation is appreciated and benefits the Hawk community.
“All gifts count,” Jacobson said. “It’s about making a ground swell happen. A thousand people with a dollar can make an impact.”
Giving Tuesday allows students, faculty and alumni to donate and support future students and programs in need. Both the Hawk Emergency Fund and the Hawk Advantage Scholarship have featured causes and received the most money from the donations. The Hawk Emergency Fund is for students facing a financial emergency such as property damage after a fire; it was originally created for students affected by Hurricane Harvey. The Hawk Advantage Scholarship is the first scholarship for incoming freshman to the university and helps students complete their degree.
“Knowing the appreciation behind the donations is important,” said Cynthia Bowen, alumna and proposal writer and researcher in the University Advancement office, who donated on Giving Tuesday. “My Master’s degree got me into a career for the last 30 years, so I owe UHCL a lot.”
With a variety of scholarships and programs for Hawks to support, 132 students, faculty and alumni gave back to UHCL resulting in $12,369.07 total donated topping 2017’s total of $11,466.90. On a global level, Giving Tuesday reached $380 million in online donations and a billion dollars worldwide.
Every Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday kicks off the season of giving across the United States. Over 150 countries participate in Giving Tuesday every year. Giving Tuesday was founded in 2012 by New York’s 92nd Street Y in partnership with the United Nations Foundation.
Gratitude week had students, faculty and alumni expressing gratitude and supporting the university by participating in a food drive, donating on Giving Tuesday, celebrating the season during the lighting of the letters and writing letters of appreciation. The Office of University Advancement, Student Life and Marketing and Communication created Gratitude Week to kick off the season of giving and bring the Hawk community together.
