February 7, 2022
SVSU day of giving generates over $102,000 for scholarships and more
Thanks to an outpouring of support from alumni and friends of Saginaw Valley State University, the university will be able to offer scholarships to students who face financial hurdles to completing their degrees.
On Wednesday, Feb. 2, the SVSU Foundation held its 7th annual “2/2 for SVSU” giving day campaign, raising over $102,000 and exceeding its goal of $100,000. The focus of this year’s effort was a new Student Success Fund to support transfer, retention and degree completion scholarships.
“Every year, our alumni and friends demonstrate their confidence in SVSU and our mission by supporting ‘2/2 for SVSU,’” said SVSU President Donald Bachand. “This private support enables our students to earn their degrees and begin rewarding careers with employers throughout the region and beyond.”
Encouraged by “seed” funds of $40,000 from the Wickson-Link Memorial Foundation and the Allen E. and Marie A. Nickless Memorial Foundation, donors stepped up to grow the fund to $100,000. Challenge gifts from the Alice E. Turner Memorial Trust and SVSU Foundation staff also helped spur contributions throughout the day.
“We are very grateful for the support of the SVSU alumni and friends who supported the university through our ‘2/2 for SVSU’ campaign,” said Andrew Bethune, executive director of the SVSU Foundation. “The generous support of the Wickson-Link and Allen E. and Marie A. Nickless Foundations was instrumental in the success of the campaign, and the matching gift challenges helped us maintain our momentum throughout the day.”
Many students have faced hardships over the past two years, making the new scholarships particularly timely.
“There are very few scholarships designated specifically for upperclassmen or for students who transfer to SVSU, and none at the moment devoted to helping students return to SVSU to finish degrees following an interruption,” said Ann Schumann-Ousley, manager of annual giving and data management for the SVSU Foundation. “These new scholarship funds will meaningfully impact these students’ lives and allow them to stay in college or to get back on the path to an SVSU degree.”
Held every year on Feb. 2, the “2/2 for SVSU” campaign was modeled on the Giving Tuesday fundraising initiative. Since the first giving day in 2016, donors have contributed over $525,000 through the annual event.