Contact: Amy Cagle
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University's fourth annual online giving event will take place on Monday and Tuesday [April 10-11]. Hail State Giving Days follows Super Bulldog Weekend each year, and all contributions become part of the university’s ongoing Infinite Impact capital campaign.
The event originated in 2014 with the goal of igniting more participation among contributors to MSU by encouraging a gift to any university area. Last year, MSU raised $537,688 for various campus programs from 1,205 donors representing 44 states throughout the U.S. during Hail State Giving Days.
For 2017, MSU’s goal is to raise more than 1,000 donations for areas across campus over a 48-hour period and paint the nation’s map Bulldog maroon. The event is powered by social media through #DawgsDigDonors with the collaboration of university alumni, students, parents, friends, faculty and staff.
Hail State Giving Days starts at 12 a.m. on Monday [April 10] and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday [April 11]. Individuals are encouraged to make a gift to the MSU area of their choice within the 48-hour timeframe at www.hailstategiving.com.
“Hail State Giving Days is a way to share the good work across our university, salute those responsible for carrying out MSU’s mission, and encourage investment in it,” said Jana Berkery, annual giving director for the MSU Foundation.
She continued, “The entire Bulldog family can help us make this year’s event bigger by attracting donors living in all 50 states. We need to recruit donors from the six states of Maine, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Vermont who were not represented last year, and also have donors from the previously participating 44 states join us again this year.”
A number of individuals are serving as ambassadors for Hail State Giving Days, showing their passion and loyalty for the university. As an ambassador, individuals can post, share and tweet using the hashtag #DawgsDigDonors and encourage friends and followers to do the same.
“Hail State Giving Days is an exceptional opportunity to show the pride in everything that MSU constitutes, and we encourage everyone to spread the word and paint the map maroon this April 10-11,” Berkery said.
Giving to areas campus wide will count toward Hail State Giving Days, from the university’s colleges and schools, departments, programs and athletics. A number of areas with specific opportunities are highlighted at www.hailstategiving.com.
To promote Hail State Giving Days, Berkery encourages participants to talk about the event on social media and post using the hashtag #DawgsDigDonors.
For additional information, Berkery may be contacted at 662-325-5975 or jberkery@foundation.mmsstate.edu.
Visit www.hailstategiving.com to check the live progress during the 48-hour event.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.