The University of Mississippi hosted its seventh annual Ole Miss Giving Day last week, raising $1,789,522 through 3,223 donations for a variety of student and academic services.
The annual Giving Day celebration is a high-energy philanthropy drive bringing in donations for program funding, scholarships and other student opportunities. UM alumni, students, faculty, staff and other supporters responded positively to the initiative, setting a participation record for the number of gifts given this year.
Vice Chancellor for Development Charlotte Parks believes the university’s community participation reflects its dedication to success.
“The response to this year’s Giving Day reflects the extraordinary passion of the Ole Miss community,” Parks said. “Setting a record for participation speaks to how our alumni, parents and friends care about our students and our future. Every challenge and gift will make a meaningful impact across campus.”
Giving Day takes place every spring, spanning one day, eight hours and 48 minutes, in honor of the university’s founding in 1848. This year it began at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14.
“Giving Day is always special because it reminds us of what can be achieved when the Ole Miss family comes together,” Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. “Generosity is indeed a hallmark of our community, and we’ve demonstrated that again this year.”
To increase competition among donors in 2026, the university utilized new, special tactics. Leaderboards tracked the number of donors from each department and the money each individual donated.
To spread awareness on the performance of the initiative, a Giving Day live stream aired for the duration of the fundraising project. The livestream shared student stories and provided constant updates on donations. Special guests, such as university leaders, also appeared on the livestream.
Other initiatives added to the Giving Day total. Students were allowed to name squirrels on campus by making gifts of at least $26 to the Ole Miss Fund. In another initiative, the Ole Miss Family Leadership Council offered to match $1,000 after 15 gifts were made to the Holman Fund for Student Emergencies.
Some students were also given the opportunity to sign the turret at Ventress Hall in honor of other professors, parents and other mentors for Giving Day.
Ole Miss’ Kappa Alpha Order fraternity celebrated the memory of alumnus Col. Bobby Towery with a $5,000 gift to the Col. Bobby Towery Final Mile Scholarship to benefit Army ROTC cadets.
While many donations from students consisted of small amounts that grew into a large collective total, some Oxford residents and alumni gave large contributions individually for specific purposes.
Ashley Anderson Mattei, a journalism and English alumna, committed $250,000 to the School of Journalism and New Media, benefiting the S. Gale Denley Student Media Center and establishing the Ashley Anderson Mattei Student Innovators Endowment scholarship.
Oxford resident Lucy Banks made a $500,000 gift, establishing the Dr. Frank and Lucy Banks Scholarship Endowment, to support active or retired Mississippi first responders and their children.
Partners and employees of accounting firm KPMG contributed $125,000 in support of the new Patterson School of Accountancy building’s construction. The firm pledged an additional $125,000 to match the gift. The university plans to name a student lounge in the firm’s honor.
Ole Miss READY, a program expanding access to higher education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, was a leading cause for donations. Virginia McIntyre Craig and Camp Craig gave $2,500 to Ole Miss READY after 20 donors joined their cause. Another anonymous donor gave $5,000 after another 20 people joined her cause as donors.
“Our Ole Miss family never fails to help students excel,” Wendell Weakley, CEO of the UM Foundation said. “This support will pay exceptional dividends for the university for decades to come.”
The annual Giving Day began after alumna Maura Wakefield Langhart was announced the new senior director of annual giving in November 2018.
The inaugural Giving Day was held on April 11-12, 2019, and raised a total of $542,990 from 1,053 gifts. The participation has grown each year, with last year’s campaign generating $1.34 million from 3,221 gifts.
Editor’s Note: The Daily Mississippian operates under the auspices of the S. Gale Denley Student Media Center, which received support from Giving Day donations. Members of The Daily Mississippian staff also participated in Giving Day promotions.
