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SIU Day of Giving brings excitement, livestream March 2

CARBONDALE – The 6th annual SIU Day of Giving is Wednesday, March 2, and the show is hitting the road.

After introducing a Day of Giving livestream last year, the SIU Foundation will add a second live event from the Saluki Takeover Tour kick-off event in St. Louis.

“This is going to be one incredible day,” said Matt Kupec, CEO of the SIU Foundation. “We’re excited for it, and we know our alumni are as well.”

What is the Day of Giving?

Each year the SIU community comes together for a 24-hour Day of Giving. Supporters are encouraged to visit siuday.siu.edu on Wednesday, March 2, and make a gift of any size. Donations can be directed to any college, unit, program, or initiative of the donor’s choice.

Last year, more than $2.8 million was raised through more than 3,400 donations. There were donations from all 50 states and 11 countries. Donors can choose to be honored on the Donor Wall at siuday.siu.edu or give anonymously. All gifts are made securely and are tax-deductible.

Two livestreams

Last year, SIU was one of the only universities in the country to host a Day of Giving livestream, and this year it’s adding a second one from St. Louis.

The first livestream will begin at 8 a.m. and continue until about 2 p.m. It will be available on the SIU Alumni Association’s Facebook page, facebook.com/siualumni, and at siuday.siu.edu.

The event will feature Chancellor Austin Lane, a parade of college deans, university officials, students, and alumni. The schedule for that event is available at siuday.siu.edu.

“We can’t wait for everyone to see this year’s livestream,” said Kupec, who will host. “We’re going to be live from the studio at WSIU, and it’s going to be a great time.”

After the first livestream ends in Carbondale, preparations for the grand finale in St. Louis will begin. Things will pick back up on the Alumni Association’s Facebook page and the Day of Giving page at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 2.

Chancellor Lane will update the Day of Giving totals and make an exciting announcement that will impact how we imagine the future of the university. This reception will be broadcast live from the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark.

“We’re trying to break Day of Giving records and set the stage for Chancellor Lane as he makes a major announcement,” Kupec said. “It’s going to be a great day to be Saluki.”

Saluki Takeover Tour

After taking over Chicago in October, SIU is hosting its inaugural Saluki Takeover Tour St. Louis. In conjunction with the MVC Arch Madness men’s basketball tournament, there will be multiple Saluki-themed events taking place in St. Louis and the Metro East.

The Chancellor’s Reception, which will run from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2, will be the first of multiple events between then and Saturday, March 5.

“SIU will be all over the city,” Kupec said. “We’ll be cheering on the Dawgs, meeting with alumni, building partnerships with local schools and community colleges, and spreading Saluki spirit everywhere we go.”

For a full schedule of events or to register for the Chancellor’s Reception, visit siuf.org/stlouis.

Get involved

Other than making a gift and watching the livestream, there are a few other things alumni and donors can do to support the cause.

Simply using #SIUDay on social media and sharing posts from the SIU Foundation and other units on campus is a great way to show support. It’s also not too late to become an SIU Day of Giving ambassador by signing up at siuday.siu.edu. Ambassadors get special Day of Giving updates and are encouraged to share their own Day of Giving message with others.

“The Day of Giving has become one of the most anticipated days of the year,” Kupec said. “We hope everyone is inspired to get involved by watching the livestream and joining us in St. Louis.”

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Media Contact: Rebecca Renshaw, SIU Foundation associate director of communications, 618-453-1328.

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