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Jackson State University exceeded its $500,000 fundraising goal during its annual Day of Giving event on Friday, July 29. This year’s virtual program was themed “1877: For Thee Culture” and hosted by alumna Chelle B, on-air personality, and alumnus Mark Henderson, Ph.D., JSU theatre professor and coordinator of speech communication.
“Giving back to Jackson State University means creating impactful college experiences and a high-quality academic environment where our students can flourish. These generous gifts from alumni, friends and supporters will ensure that more students with financial need can be served,” said JSU President Thomas K. Hudson, J.D. “I applaud the collective efforts of everyone who made our Day of Giving a success.”
“For Thee Culture” included an assembly of alumni, faculty, staff and student participation, including a virtual day party. Later in the evening, “1877: For Thee Culture,” a JSU production, aired on Facebook, YouTube and JSUTV, paying homage to popular television shows from the 90s like “A Different World” and “Martin.”
“One thing all age groups have in common is the love for uniting together while learning and having a great time in laughter and fun. So why not have the best of both worlds collide and be EDUtained (sic) and ENTERtained (sic) while securing the education of current and future Tigers? The 90s are my favorite decade,” said Chelle B, who penned the script for “1877: For Thee Culture.”
The fun and fanfare surrounding the program seemed to give viewers the boost needed to push the university to over $600,000, and administrators are still counting mail-in donations.
“Every year, we are amazed at how the Jackson State University community rallies together for our annual Day of Giving. The Division of Institutional Advancement began this initiative eight years ago, and each year brings a fresh opportunity to set and reach new goals in support of current and future JSU students,” said Yolanda Owens, assistant vice president of the Division of Institutional Advancement.
Owens shared that University Communications worked with the Department of Art and Theatre to build a marketing campaign that articulated the importance of giving in a meaningful and entertaining way.
Please see the below list of top fundraisers. Winners were determined at midnight PST on July 30, 2022.
- Top Fundraising Team: Jackson State University National Alumni Association
- Top Fundraising Greek Organization: Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
- Top Fundraising Fraternity: Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
- Top Fundraising Sorority: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
- Top Fundraising State: Mississippi
- Top Fundraising Alumni Chapter: Huntsville Alabama Alumni Chapter
- Top Fundraising Class: Jackson State University c/o 1987
To view “1877: For Thee Culture” click here. #Give2JSU at www.jsums.edu/giveonline.