Tiger Giving Day donors raise funds for a record-breaking 40 projects

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More than 4,000 donors gave to 40 campus-wide projects on Tiger Giving Day, held on Feb. 19. The fifth annual day of giving for Auburn University featured projects that benefited students, faculty, research and the community. Of the projects, 33 met their full fundraising goals, with almost all of the remaining projects achieving 75 percent or more of their goals, breaking previous Tiger Giving Day records.

Donor Michele Williams, of Wetumpka, Alabama, has given to a variety of Tiger Giving Day projects for the past several years. Each year, she reviews the projects and then picks the ones that are meaningful to her.

“I love how my ‘little’ gifts make a bigger contribution,” Williams said. “Because the goals are attainable, it’s a cool event to have every year. I come from a military family, so the Veterans Resource Center project appealed to me and the Wheelchair Basketball team’s project as well because they persevere playing a very competitive sport.”

The Wheelchair Basketball team’s project focused on creating scholarships to support recruiting efforts.

“Without the overwhelming generosity of the donors who supported us through Tiger Giving Day, it would not be possible for us to pursue our passion,” said Sam Armas, sophomore and wheelchair basketball student-athlete. “These donors have given us the opportunity to chase our dreams every day while minimizing the obstacles that would prevent us from doing so. As a former recipient of a scholarship, I know how this will impact our future recruits and their families, and I am grateful they will be able to join the Auburn Family.”

The Veterans Resource Center project raised funds to support the technology demands student veterans struggle to obtain during their college careers.

“While the GI Bill pays tuition and certain fees, it doesn’t go any further than that,” said Justin Schwab, junior and philanthropy chair of the Auburn Student Veterans Association. “With the overwhelming support from Tiger Giving Day donors, we will be able to provide access to roughly eight laptop computers, various scientific and graphing calculators and other supplies that are required for classwork.”

Tiger Giving Day donors helped the following projects:

  • The Canine Performance Sciences program can support its February litter of puppies. ($36,745 raised from 298 donors)

  • Asthma Camp Eagle, a free day camp for children who have asthma, can expand its staff and supplies so more campers can attend. ($10,580 raised from 158 donors)

  • The Honors College Service Closet can be stocked with needed materials for service projects. ($10,030 raised from 130 donors)

  • The Auburn Student Alumni Association created four new scholarships. ($4,425 raised from 90 donors)

  • The Miller Writing Center can fund additional student staff salaries. ($5,000 raised from 65 donors)

  • The Theme Park Engineering Group can represent Auburn University at the Ryerson Invitational Thrill Design Competition. ($5,000 raised from 90 donors)

  • Student veterans in Auburn’s Veterans Resource Center can have access to essential laptops, tablets and scientific calculators. ($13,700 raised from 174 donors)

  • Faculty and students from the Harrison School of Pharmacy can help improve the adolescent vaccination rate in Alabama by providing educational materials and information for patients. ($10,250 raised from 163 donors)

  • The Gene Machine can travel to underserved parts of Alabama to provide genetic testing and counseling to women who may be at risk for breast cancer. ($17,075 raised from 214 donors)

  • Industrial design students in the College of Architecture, Design and Construction can now create and field test 12 medical backpacks to be used by medical teams providing health care in areas such as Haiti, Africa and South America. ($11,490 raised from 164 donors)

  • Scholarships can be provided to recruit top talent to Auburn’s Wheelchair Basketball team. ($33,884 raised from 244 donors)

  • The Southeastern Raptor Center can purchase a food freezer for centralized storage of raptor food. ($27,800 raised from 222 donors)

  • The Gogue Performing Arts Center can host an orchestral performance for area schoolchildren, followed by a hands-on learning opportunity to interact with the instruments and learn from the musicians who play them. ($26,295 raised from 130 donors)

  • The Auburn University Libraries can provide cameras, GoPros, microphones, tripods, projectors, green screens and more for students to check out. ($5,646 raised from 81 donors)

  • Music education students in the College of Education can now have instruments when they teach at Loachapoka Elementary School. ($16,605 raised from 200 donors)

  • The War Eagle Motorsports team in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering can purchase carbon fiber for their 2020 racecars. ($10,878 raised from 104 donors)

  • Students in the Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry can continue their community papermaking outreach programs by upgrading and manufacturing a new, portable papermaking cart. ($7,055 raised from 58 donors)

  • Engineering students who serve as ambassadors for the Greater East Alabama Science and Engineering Fair can continue to share their experience and mentor middle and high school students with their projects. ($10,555 raised from 132 donors)

  • The Department of Music in the College of Liberal Arts can now outfit a recording studio as part of an initiative to add a Music Technology Program. ($26,937 raised from 94 donors)

  • The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute can create ADA-compliant and accessible spaces, as well as commission a portrait of historic Sunny Slope. ($10,375 raised from 84 donors)

  • Campus Kitchens can continue to fight food insecurity by purchasing a utility vehicle for volunteers to pick up unserved food from campus dining halls. ($14,368 raised from 211 donors)

  • The College of Human Sciences can purchase supplies for a cutting-edge Pathogen Lab. ($4,805 raised from 51 donors)

  • The Harbert College of Business can provide experiential learning experiences for students, growing Auburn’s entrepreneur ecosystem. ($54,540 raised from 282 donors)

  • Previously unused space in Spidle Hall can be transformed into a study space. ($9,880 raised from 65 donors)

  • The Auburn Whitewater Kayaking Club can represent Auburn University at more competitions across the Southeast. ($3,420 raised from 59 donors)

  • Auburn’s Clay Shooting Club can compete in the staple event of collegiate-level competitive clay shooting. ($7,540 raised from 69 donors)

  • High-tech vertical farms, housed in shipping containers, will offer fresh vegetables and fruits for campus dining facilities year-round and be staffed by student employees. ($10,650 raised from 126 donors)

  • The Davis Arboretum can construct a new amphitheater. ($11,000 raised from 160 donors)

  • More first-generation and underrepresented students can pursue graduate school with graduate school test preparation and review materials. ($7,500 raised from 124 donors)

  • The Turtle Pond at the Kreher Nature Preserve can be restored and enhanced. ($7,795 raised from 122 donors)

  • Researchers at the Deer Lab can access needed equipment to gain a better understanding of white-tailed deer health. ($11,805 raised from 84 donors)

  • Auburn Clubs can provide scholarships to students from their hometowns. ($164,351 raised from 386 donors)

  • Community families whose children have autism will have less financial burden when seeking early intervention services. ($20,000 raised from 322 donors)

  • The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program can be funded. ($36,208 raised from 797 donors)

  • Anatomy and physiology lab students can benefit from hands-on dissection applications with an arm and leg SynDaver Anatomy models. ($13,811 raised from 145 donors)

  • The Martial Arts Club can purchase safety mats. ($3,061 raised from 45 donors)

  • The College of Human Sciences can use virtual reality to show the dangers of vaping. ($7,275 raised from 140 donors)

  • The Provost Leadership Undergraduate Scholarship program can help underserved students attend Auburn. ($26,073 raised from 274 donors)

  • Plainsmen’s Prep can provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for incoming students. ($2,000 raised from 31 donors)

  • The Auburn Research Park can begin transforming student designs into unique outdoor areas for work and recharging. ($5,168 raised from 77 donors)

All projects and their updates can be viewed at TigerGiving.org.

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.