Conn breaks fundraising record on Giving Tuesday

Alumni, parents, faculty, students, staff and Conn friends came together on Giving Tuesday 2020 to raise in excess of $100,000 for Connecticut College in just 24 hours. 

The College had more than 340 donors, two-thirds of whom were alumni, which doubled last year’s Giving Tuesday event. 

“We are very pleased by the success of this Giving Tuesday and enormously grateful to all those who chose to make Conn a priority on this global day of giving. It is truly inspiring to see this level of generosity, particularly during a year that has been difficult for so many,” said Kim Verstanding, Vice President for College Advancement.

Giving Tuesday is an international day of giving and an opportunity for the Connecticut College community to support the College at a time when the challenges presented by the current pandemic and a renewed commitment to racial justice have reshaped the educational experience of our students, staff and faculty. The online fundraising campaign was supported by email and social media efforts that included a series of testimonials from current students and coaches, who shared their experiences from this past semester that resonated with many on Conn’s social media platforms.

Students working in the Office of Advancement, who initiated a Student Philanthropy Education (SPE) group earlier in the fall, participated in Giving Tuesday by reaching out to donors and peers at the College.

“We want to engage students in philanthropic activism and how their voices can be empowered. This semester we launched @ccphilanthropy on Instagram. I designated my gift to the area of my choice—the Division of Institutional Equity and Inclusion—which makes an immediate, tangible impact on the student experience. Giving Tuesday is a time to remember that our contributions communicate to the College what matters most to us, and I hope that SPE opens that avenue to students,” said Nora Cahill ’23.

The money raised on Giving Tuesday supports every aspect of the Connecticut College experience—from financial aid and scholarships to student-athletes and antiracist education—with the goal of helping the College fulfill its mission to “put the liberal arts into action” while producing leaders capable of addressing the complex global issues of our time.

For more information on Giving Tuesday or to make a donation, click here.