The weather may be wintery, but it’s time for the spring semester here at UMBC! This week, classes kicked off and students poured back onto campus. As they settle down to the business of studying and creating and making, we wanted to take a moment and thank you, our donors, for all you do to support our students!
Want to continue your investment in our students as they work toward graduation in May? Check out some of these cool student initiatives:
Stroll near The Commons on most weekdays and you’ll see tables piled high with tasty baked goods. The students at these tables are asking for help – spare change, really – to fund their clubs’ latest and greatest pursuits in a way that hasn’t changed much since the university opened in 1966.
But now these passionate student appeals are getting a boost from the power of the people . . . and the internet. UMBC recently unveiled a new crowdfunding website that allows students to harness their personal relationships to bring in support for their own projects on campus. The site – which focuses on university needs as well as student causes – gives students a way to easily use social media to publicize, track and aggregate philanthropic campaigns.
“We are incredibly excited to work with student groups to help them understand the ins and outs of philanthropy through crowdfunding,” says Dayna Carpenter, UMBC’s director of annual giving. “Our students are very motivated to do good in this world, and this is an important element of their education.”
UMBC’s crowdfunding site already boasts colorful channels to help student causes. Visitors can help the SAE Mini Baja team get to their next competition, help the Down and Dirty Dawg Band produce their next CD, or even send students from Engineers Without Borders to Kenya to dig wells.
“Without the help and support of things like our fundraising page, we wouldn’t be able to receive stipends, buy new equipment, pay for instrument repairs, or put out CDs,” says Drew Ballantine, a UMBC senior and member of the Down and Dirty Dawg Band. “These donations allow us to continuously grow by doing more things each year, like adding more performances or playing new music.”
Donors can also support university giving that directly benefits current students, including LGBTQ initiatives on campus or the Stay Black and Gold Fund for those who have emergency financial needs.
“I love the crowdfunding model because it gives us the chance to give back to what we really care about,” says Chris Magaha ’03, information systems management. “And you can see exactly where the money is going to go.”
And that’s exactly why UMBC made the venture into crowdfunding. It gives students a chance to share their projects with the world and get the support they need, while donors can find projects they’re passionate about and see their gifts have an immediate impact.
“The crowdfunding site really is the best of all worlds,” says Dayna. “Even though it’s still new, people have responded very positively. We’re eager to see how this effort continues to grow.”
Thank you so much to everyone who made a gift to UMBC and our awesome student projects on #GivingTuesday! It was an incredible day for philanthropy–both throughout Baltimore and across the country–and we are proud to have been a part of it. We already knew that Retrievers are some of the best and most loyal folks, but you proved it all over again with your support on December 3.
Here’s a quick update on our featured #GivingTuesday projects:
Thanks to you, Engineers Without Borders (EWB) has raised $1,535 toward their January trip to Isongo, Kenya. They still need to raise a bit more, but we’ve made a good start. We hope you’ll help us spread the word and continue to gather support for EWB.
Success! Thanks to your support, the Down and Dirty Dawg Band not only reached their goal of $2,500, but have exceeded it by over $300 (via online and offline donations). Additionally, their CD, “Black & Gold” is now available for purchase online.
So far, you’ve helped us raise $500 toward new projects and initiatives for our LGBTQ students. With that money, UMBC will be able to fund a few workshops or guest lectures on campus. It’s a great start, and we hope to raise more in the coming months.
We’re just ONE day away from #GivingTuesday, a national day of giving tomorrow, December 3rd. The UMBC community is working to change the world, and on #GivingTuesday, you can help them do it.
Throughout the past month, we’ve shared stories of how our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are making a difference. We took a peek at how the Engineers Without Borders group will bring clean water to Isongo, Kenya. We tapped our feet to songs that will be on the Down and Dirty Dawg Band’s new CD. And we learned about UMBC’s mission to create a more inclusive campus through LGBTQ programs and initiatives.
Here are just a few things the people involved with those projects had to say:
“Engineers Without Borders-UMBC relies on gifts to fulfill our mission of implementing environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects, while developing globally aware and internationally responsible students and engineers. We especially appreciate gifts from alumni because we believe that EWB-UMBC not only promotes projects in the developing world, but also transformative experiences for UMBC students.”
~Lee Blaney, assistant professor and advisor for EWB
“[Your support] means the world to the band. If you’re an alumni of the band and had a great experience, your donation will help ensure that the next generation of students have the same positive experience.”
~Matt Basch ’08, ’10, Director, Down and Dirty Dawg Band
“To support UMBC as an alum is a no-brainer. As a student, I felt the positive impact [of donor support], and I want to live up to Dr. Hrabowski’s motto that of those to whom much is given, much is expected.”
~Chris Magaha ’03, donor to LGBTQ programs & initiatives
UMBC’s students are working to change the world. On December 3, a national day of giving, you can be a part of the change. Make your gift to one of these amazing projects today and you’ll give us a head start on our #GivingTuesday campaign:
You Can Make Clean Water a Right, Not a Luxury
Here in the United States, we don’t worry about having access to a hot shower or clean drinking water. Those are necessities, right? But for the people of Isongo, Kenya, they’re little more than a dream. UMBC’s Engineers Without Borders team is working to change that.
You Can Fill the World with Music
It’s well-known that listening to music can increase health, decrease stress and spread Retriever Fever. The Down and Dirty Dawg Band, a premier music ensemble from UMBC, wants to do all that . . . and more.
You Can Stand Up for Equality
As states across the country, including Maryland, legalized marriage equality, we celebrated an important milestone for the LGBTQ community. But we’re a long way from true equality. So we’re working to bring more outreach and support programs to our campus LGBTQ community.
Make Baltimore the Most Generous City in America
#GivingTuesday’s mission is to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations like UMBC. This year, we’re partnering with a number of local organizations in our own #GivingTuesday effort, the “Bmore Gives More” movement.Our goal? To raise $5 million collectively in support of all of Baltimore’s amazing charitable and non-profit organizations.