Pitt Day of Giving: Supporting Our School

For the past eight years, the University of Pittsburgh has held a universitywide fundraising event equipped with opportunities to donate to different organizations and programs at the university. Though Pitt Day of Giving originated in Oakland, Pitt-Greensburg is no stranger to the charity event. 

Participation in the Day of Giving is important for Pitt-Greensburg, as a result of its condensed population. Jodi Kraisinger, director of University Relations and Institutional Advancement, leads one of the main encouraging forces of the event. 

“It is the total number of unique donors that count in this event and not the amount of money donated,” Kraisinger said. “Gifts of $5 or more can be made towards a fund. Being a donor can help Pitt-Greensburg ‘raise the bar’ and compete with other schools and campuses for bonus dollars.”

Donors can pick where they want their money to go, though general donations can make an overall impact on the Pitt-Greensburg campus.

“All the funds raised plus the bonus dollars earned through Pitt Day of Giving has allowed us to establish the Technology for the Future Endowment, a fund that supports new technology needs each year. We’ve supported the construction of the new Life Sciences building and added much-needed resources to scholarships, academic programs, athletic teams, student clubs and organizations, and the Student Emergency Fund,” Kraisinger said. “Additionally, we have collected enough donations to the Little Food Pantry to keep them stocked for several months.”

Though monetary donations are the primary method of catapulting Pitt Day of Giving, Justin Antoszweski, communications associate of University Relations and Institutional Advancement, encouraged other ways to support Pitt-Greensburg.

“Social media really is a big deal for Pitt Day of Giving because it is largely an online event,” Antoszweski said. “I try to recruit as many social media ambassadors as possible for the cause of just sharing what Pitt-Greensburg is doing, and including that link at the end. Just saying that this is a big deal for our campus because we are a smaller campus, and it is an opportunity to sort of pull together our efforts and improve the student experience.” 

Being a social media ambassador is not only free and quick, but it is the easiest way to spread the word.

“As long as you have an inclination towards wanting to see more resources towards students, you don’t really have to think too hard or take too much time out of your day to be a social media ambassador,” Antoszweski said. “They want us to direct everyone to the website, and the best way to do that is while they’re already on their phones. Everyone’s got something going on, so I like to impress that it’s easy, that it doesn’t cost anything — you just need to give less than five minutes of your time.”

Pitt Day of Giving has opportunities of connecting the university and Pitt-Greensburg’s community. 

“Our community unites to make a powerful statement of support. Together, we show the community that Pitt-Greensburg has the support of alumni, faculty, staff, and friends who demonstrate pride and confidence in our campus,” Kraisinger said.

The donation website launches on Tuesday, Feb. 20, and will remain open until Tuesday, Feb. 27, at midnight. For more information on how to donate, visit the official Pitt Day of Giving website. For more information on becoming a social media ambassador for the 2024 Pitt Day of Giving, contact Justin Antoszweski at pgonline@pitt.edu or directly through the official form.