Students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members rallied together to raise money during Newman University Giving Day Feb. 28 with competitions, matching challenges, campus scavenger hunts and more.
The aim for 2024 Giving Day was to secure 200 donors, but the community went above and beyond with gifts from 234 individuals. Among these generous contributors were 49 current Newman students, which emphasized the active involvement of students in supporting their university. A grand total of $62,812 was raised for Newman University.
The event that keeps giving
In addition to the giving games, Newman hosted a Dueling Pianos event Feb. 23 and a Pop Culture Through the Decades Trivia Night Feb. 28, which both benefited Giving Day efforts.
At trivia night, more than 120 individuals took part in the seven-round trivia competition, including a group of students from Cowley County’s Quiz Bowl. Father Adam Grelinger started the event with a prayer, calling upon God as the “knower of all trivia,” and jokingly asking “May Professor Larry Straub and staff member Clark Castle forget everything they know.”
Six lucky participants won door prizes simply for attending — thanks to Wizard’s Alley in Wichita — and three Newman students took home the $300 gift card prize pack for winning first place.
Director of Student Activities Joshua Prilliman, who served as the trivia night host, said the best part of the event was that it brought more than just Newman community members to campus.
“One lady walked up to Andi Giesen (dean of students) and made a $1,000 donation right there,” Prilliman said. “I think it’s pretty special that she could have done it from a computer, but we gave her an opportunity to come to campus and be part of the community. Now our efforts are extending beyond Newman. … I think that’s the coolest thing on the planet.”
Director of Annual Giving Laura Hartley emphasized the importance of bringing people together throughout all 24 hours of Giving Day.
“There are lots of ways people can spend their money and many organizations to donate to, but choosing to support Newman is an investment in the future unlike any other,” Hartley said. “You get to be a silent contributor to someone else’s story, helping them accomplish their goals and I think that is a pretty amazing thing.”
I witnessed staff hearing stories from an alum of the 1960s, overheard faculty and students trash-talking before the start of trivia and alums and students socializing at the student booth. It was truly a community affair.
Laura Hartley
It pays to give
Several students, alumni and community members participated in giving challenges and drawings for prizes. For the following individuals, giving back paid off even more than they anticipated.
- Student Deqlan Mitchell won a semester of free housing in the residence halls thanks to his grandmother, who made $100 entries to the Student Affairs Fund on his behalf.
- Ramona Nance won a spring break-themed basket from the School of Education and Social Work and donated her winnings to a Newman University student.
- Kent Duncan won an MIAA Network Pass for the 2024-25 school year with his $25 entries to Athletics.
- Student Carlos Bellosta won the $200 Amazon gift card drawing, which entered student donors into a raffle for every donation of $5 or more.
- The parent of Newman student Stephanie Mullins was the seventh donor of the day and won an extra $125 for the baseball team.
- Alumnus and Digital Content Specialist Daniel Murphy was the 100th donor of the day and won an extra $125 for the Newman Fund.
- Alumnus Samuel Hersh donated the closest to 19:33 for the military time challenge and won an extra $125 for Athletics.
- Alumnus and Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing and Communication Zach Brake won an extra $125 for Athletics for being the last donation of the day.
Special videos were unlocked on social media when Newman University reached 50, 100 and 150 donors. At 50 donors, Professor Alan Oberley conducted an explosive experiment with flour and a sifter; at 100, the Newman chorale sang a “thank you” to donors; when 150 donors were reached, the Newman cheer and dance team “flipped out” with excitement and gratitude for Newman donors.
![](<iframe loading="lazy" title="100 donors -Newman Chorale - Thank you (Instagram Post)" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/918465424?dnt=1&app_id=122963" width="750" height="750" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write"></iframe>)
Special thanks
Many donors’ money went even further thanks to the following Giving Day matches. Newman University is grateful for the following for their generous matching offers:
- David ’17, Jodie and Randy Reed matched every dollar donated to the Fine Arts Fund up to $5,500.
- Mary Lu Tuthill ’63 and Sheryl Stanley matched money given to the Newman Fund.
- Diana Stanley ’17 matched every dollar given to the School of Arts and Science up to $500.
- President Kathleen Jagger matched every dollar donated by a new donor up to $5,000.
On behalf of Newman University, Hartley would like to acknowledge every person for choosing to support the Catholic university on Newman Giving Day.
“This Giving Day we certainly came together as a community,” Hartley said. “And for students to give on Giving Day just blows me away. That act is them acknowledging that while they are the present of Newman University, they want the future of this institution to be just as bright as it is today.”
Make a gift to Newman University
Giving Day may be over, but your gifts make a difference for students no matter when you give them.
