Supporters demonstrated their affinity for the college in a big way during the university’s first-ever Giving Day on March 20-21. For the inaugural 24-hour event, the college received $132,357 in gifts from 155 donors. This level of engagement unlocked participation challenge gifts from Willie Taylor, Mike Hincher, Mike and Kathy Melo, and the Morton and Spapperi Family Foundation.

To put this level of success in perspective, CNRE’s amount raised is second among all Virginia Tech colleges that participated in Giving Day. Overall, the university raised more than $1.6 million from the generosity of 4,841 Hokies.

“It was especially meaningful to have our alums, friends, faculty, staff, parents, and students participate in Giving Day,” said Emily Hutchins, chief advancement officer. “Every gift matters, regardless of size, and can have a tremendous collective impact for the college and our students.”

Donors could designate their Giving Day gifts for specific funds such as the CNRE Annual Fund, an academic department, or the college’s Leadership Institute. The funds will be used to support scholarships, experiential learning activities, professional development opportunities, faculty research, and more.

The day after the event, students, faculty, and staff were invited to grab a donut and sign a thank you banner in the Cheatham Lounge. According to Hutchins, “This was a fantastic first effort, and we are already thinking about how to increase engagement for 2019!”