On February 8, alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff came together to show their support for Oglethorpe on OU Giving Day! More than 170 donors from 26 states gave to eight special initiatives.

Whether giving to support First-Generation students, to strengthen DEI efforts across campus, or to help build sensory rooms in the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, the OU community stepped up to make an impact on these and other important projects.

Donations on OU Giving Day were investments across many areas of campus — and investments in current and future Petrels — that help ensure Oglethorpe can provide scholarships, academic resources, and service-learning opportunities to inspire our students to succeed.

“We are enormously grateful for the support we witnessed during this year’s OU Giving Day,” said Dr. Juan McGruder, Vice President for Advancement. “When the Oglethorpe community comes together to invest in the success of our students, faculty, and staff, it significantly strengthens our ability to meet our mission. Everyone who made a gift, no matter the size, has made a tremendous difference in our community.”

While “Oglethorpe’s Greatest Needs” received the most gifts, the Student Emergency Assistance Fund and the First-Generation Student Success Scholarship Fund rounded out the top three initiatives. Another popular fund was Petey’s Pantry, which is the Class of 2023 Senior Class Gift Campaign project!

Individual donations received on OU Giving Day ranged from $5 to $3,000, and every gift was part of the overall impact of the day. Alumni were among the strongest supporters, with individual gifts coming from members of the classes of 1963 through 2022.

Thank you to all donors who supported Oglethorpe on OU Giving Day! If you missed out on OU Giving Day, you can still show your support for Oglethorpe any day by making a gift online.