Purdue gearing up for first Day of Giving

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A celebration on Memorial Mall will be one of the highlights of the first-ever Purdue Day of Giving Wednesday (April 30), an event encouraging students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and friends from all campuses to contribute to the university.

The Purdue Day of Giving, a 24-hour, online event, will focus on student affordability and accessibility, among other areas, and will feature Web-based social media components to engage donors. The day's theme is "Opportunity Granted."

Activities for Purdue Day of Giving include:

* Livestream Web events focusing on Purdue Moves, a range of initiatives designed to broaden Purdue's global impact and enhance educational opportunities for its students.

Those making Purdue Moves presentations will be Jay Akridge, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, on plant science, at 10:15 a.m.; Timothy Ratliff, the Robert Wallace Miller Director of the Center for Cancer Research, on drug discovery, at noon; Sunil Prabhakar, professor and head of the Department of Computer Science, and Jennifer Neville, associate professor of computer science and statistics, on growing computer science, at 4 p.m.; and Leah Jamieson, the John A. Edwardson Dean of Engineering, on strategic growth in engineering, at 7 p.m.

* The broadcast of a special Purdue Day of Giving program on the Big Ten Network at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. The program will highlight advances tied to Purdue Moves.

* A barbecue for the West Lafayette campus from 3-6 p.m. on Memorial Mall. Students especially are invited to stop by the big tent on the mall for food, games and a chance to meet Purdue VIPs, including coaches, deans, department heads and other campus leaders. The College of Veterinary Medicine will bring therapy dogs.

* Move on the Mall, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. featuring exercise classes including yoga, Zumba, Insanity, Dance Mania and PiYo. The event is sponsored by the Division of Recreational Sports.

A complete list of the day's activities is available at http://www.purdue.edu/udo/dayofgiving

While those who give to Purdue during the Day of Giving can direct their gifts to any fund they choose, donations to the President's Student Affordability and Accessibility Fund will be matched dollar for dollar, thanks to an anonymous donor.

Those wanting to donate on the Day of Giving will have several options:

* Online at DayOfGiving.purdue.edu

* By texting Purdue to 41444. Text pledges go to the President's Student Affordability and Accessibility Fund for the match.

* Toll-free by phone at 800-319-2199.

More information on Purdue Day of Giving, including how to donate, is available at DayOfGiving.purdue.edu 

Writer: Judith Barra Austin, 765-494-2432, jbaustin@purdue.edu