By: Sandra Araújo-Delgado, associate director of Annual Giving
The rumor spread quickly across campus—a petition was urging administration to stop promoting Giving Day to students. I was puzzled and, if I’m honest, defensive.
“Students just don’t understand,” I thought. “This is the same generation spending $6.25 on grande lattes and $60 on dip manicures—why don’t they see the value of participating in something that actually benefits them?”
As I stewed in frustration, an email came through from the student who started the petition. She explained her concerns with care and professionalism, and despite my wounded feelings, I asked if we could meet. I wanted to show her numbers, facts, all the reasons why she was so wrong. But as the day of our meeting approached, God pressed on my heart: just listen.
Here’s what I learned:
Students feel pressured.
They resent being asked to give when tuition is already high.
Those who can’t give feel excluded.
They believe they contribute in other meaningful ways, especially through service.
They feel like the university only cares about their money.
It became clear: There was a disconnect between our intentions and students’ perceptions.
Realizing there was a much bigger problem here, I decided to do some research. According to data, Gen Z is a philanthropic powerhouse. GoFundMe’s 2024 Year in Help report found that Gen Z made more than 42 million donations to individuals and 23 million to nonprofits. So why does Giving Day feel different?
I posed this question to students in the Public Relations Campaigns class. Their response? They see Southern as an institution, not a cause. It’s not a friend needing help to get home, a nonprofit rescuing animal or a community project cleaning up a neighborhood. And that made me pause because while Southern may be an institution, its mission is centered on a worthy cause: serving students.
Let me explain. Each year, academic departments dream of projects that could elevate learning, meet critical student needs and provide greater opportunities—things that tuition alone can’t cover. Giving Day helps bring those dreams to life.
So many wonderful parts of campus started as Giving Day projects. Things like funds for a student entrepreneurship program, new computers for the Center for Innovation and Research in Computing, scholarships for students in various departments, LAC and BCU, new cold tubs for hydrotherapy, new equipment for simulation labs, general scholarships, a new TV studio for the School of Journalism and Communication, funds for the food pantry, gifts to subsidize mission trips, a forklift and brake lathe for Applied Technology students, a high resolution digital 3D dissecting microscope. . . You get the picture.
But the invitation to students is about more than money. It’s about empowering students to act on their connection to their school, their professors and their friends with joy and generosity, regardless of the size or form of the gift.
While students are encouraged to take part through giving their time (volunteering), advocacy (posting on social media) or money, most of the Giving Day support comes from alumni, parents, employees and friends who believe in investing in Southern students. The total impact at Southern? $3.2 million in the last 10 years.
How Can Students Get Involved?
· Join an event. Last year, LAC raised over $700 by participating in Giving Day games and activities. Getting involved is a fun way to support what matters to you.
· Volunteer. Help your club or department reach its goal by sharing ideas, creating content or assisting with planning. Every effort makes a difference.
· Give what you can. A $5 coffee won’t go far, but when students come together, small gifts create a big impact. Last year, gifts under $100 added up to $239,625—enough to fund 95 scholarships of $2,500 each.
· Invite others to give. GoFundMe’s Social State of Giving report calls social sharing Gen Z’s “superpower.” Use your influence to rally support for a cause you care about.
Not everyone can give financially, and that’s okay. But whether you give time, a voice or a gift, your involvement helps make a lasting impact as you join a powerhouse of alumni and family members investing in you.