In a fantastic day of fundraising, Central College raised more than $360,000 during Hoo-Rah Day 2023, a day-long event that celebrates Central pride with a variety of events and activities. The funding raised on Hoo-Rah Day has a direct impact on students through scholarships and academic support.
Central raised this record-breaking amount with the help of 420 donors. The Central advancement office offered new digital giving options like Venmo. Every graduating class had at least one donor. The two alumni classes that tied for most participants were the Class of 1970 and 2001. Gifts were also donated in honor and memory of passed-on alumni, faculty, staff and students along with gifts in honor of the incoming Fall 2023 students.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating a record-breaking Hoo-Rah Day! It’s so inspiring to see what an incredible community we have at Central College,” says Michelle Wilkie, director of development. “And we are deeply grateful for the generosity of our donors who continue to help open doors for students. We know this investment has a ripple effect and allows our students to achieve a world-class liberal arts education so they may go forth and do great things.”
The funds raised go toward supporting student scholarships as well as student programs at Central. A total of $326,217 went to the Journey Scholarship Fund and $34,097 went toward other student programs.
Fundraising wasn’t the only focus of Hoo-Rah Day. Students, staff, alumni and friends of the college participated in Hoo-Rah Day by posting photos and videos on social media. Central social media logged more than 45,000 impressions on social media in just 24 hours.
Class of 2022 alumna, Elizabeth Rouse, shared a comment reflecting on her time at Central.
“Central provided me with some of the most influential educators of my life,” she says. “Whether I was being pushed outside of my skill set and comfort zone by Professor Mary Jo Sodd or encouraged to dive deeper and learn more by Professor Valerie Billing, I was lucky beyond words.”
Highlights from this year’s Hoo-Rah Day can be watched here.
