Giving Joy Day 2025 is poised to become one of Eastern Washington University’s most successful fundraisers ever, generating $910,554.12 in gifts, pledges and planned giving – and well surpassing the $550,000 goal!
During the April 3rd event, held on Eastern’s 143rd birthday, the Eagle community stepped up to make gifts of all sizes, with some 368 university supporters donating to more than 40 different funds that support student scholarships, applied learning and emergency needs, program enhancements and initiatives like the Prairie Restoration Project.
Linda Safford, senior director of Annual Giving, said that EWU students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the university made this year’s Giving Joy Day celebration “the most amazing yet.”
Eastern supporters continued to create new applied learning opportunities, “while continuing to support – online, on the phone, and in person – the ongoing needs of Eagles across our campuses in Cheney and Spokane,” said Safford. “Personally, my joy overflowed to witness the generosity and commitment of our Eagle family.”
Safford and her team organized multiple outreaches and festivities that spanned two days for this year’s fundraiser. Festivities kicked off on April 2 with a “game show” at the Catalyst featuring David Bowman, Florian Preisig, Osman Özturgut, and Brian Donahue, representing the four colleges, and Swoop and Athletics Director Tim Collins.
The celebration continued on April 3, Giving Joy Day, with an event at the PUB with more cupcakes, additional Swoop antics, announcements of key gifts and remarks of appreciation from President Shari McMahan. Two additional events wrapped up the day, an EWU Music concert that featured the EWU Orchestra playing with the Spokane Symphony, and an Alumni Association event with the Spokane Zephyr FC at the One Spokane Stadium. (Check out photos of the two-day celebration below.)
Among the most notable gifts was that of a longtime history professor, Bill Youngs, who created the Youngs Endowment for National Park Studies. The fund supports applied learning and career development for students who are passionate about national and state parks. Among its other benefits, the endowment will fund stipends to help students with internships and jobs in the parks afford uniform costs and application fees.
Supporters also pitched in to create a new dedicated fund to help occupational therapy students cover expenses necessary for the completion of fieldwork requirements. Such support helps students cover education and living expenses as they participate in unpaid research, internships and fieldwork — all of which are essential for career development but require time commitments that make it nearly impossible to work outside jobs.
During the festivities, EWU’s College of Professional Programs (CPP) took innovation to a new level by creating a half-dozen custom Giving Joy Day sweatshirts to raise funds to support future teachers as they go through their student teaching requirements.
The backs of the shirts displayed an ask to “Support Student Teachers” and a large QR code directing people to a donation site for the college’s Teachers for Teachers Fund.
Margie Scammell-Renner, director of philanthropy for CPP, said the idea took hold during a brainstorming session that resulted from the arrival of a $10,000 gift that was made to specifically fund stipends for student teachers.
CPP Dean Osman Özturgut came up with the sweatshirt idea, Scammell-Renner said. The dean and his administrative team, including Scammell-Renner, sported the QR-coded shirts and were happy to report a number of gifts came in via that unusual promotion.
“It was a fun idea. I liked it a lot,” she said.
Here are a few more Giving Joy Day highlights:
- Faculty, staff, alumni, retirees and friends of EWU stepped up to make gifts. Gifts also arrived from current students and recent graduates – a donor recognition society known as Alumni G.O.L.D.
- Top areas of support included the Eastern Fund, Eagle On, University Scholarship Fund, Student Emergency Fund, EWU Food Pantry, Eagle Athletic Fund (EAF) and the Alumni Legacy Scholarship.
- Several donors made planned gifts totaling $285,000, adding the university to their wills and helping to ensure continued support in the decades to come.
It’s not too late to add your support for Eastern Washington University! Just visit the Build Our Future campaign website.
