GREENVILLE, Pa.—Thiel College has set a goal of 300 donors for the annual Match Day on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017.
The event supports The Thiel Fund and is centered around dollar-for-dollar and bonus gift match funds that will be made available in response to gifts from alumni and friends of the College.
Donors will be presented with match challenges from academic programs, alumni, athletics and other affinity groups, including $20,000 in funds from alumni to encourage Greek participation. If the 300-donor goal is met, the College will unlock $50,000 in matching gift funds.
In preparation for the event, alumni are encouraged to help promote the giving day in advance by downloading a print graphic and posting a photo of themselves holding it to social media with the hashtag #TCperfectmatch.
Last year, the one-day fundraising campaign raised more than $200,000, surpassing its initial donor goal by noon. Greek participation was an important component, with 63 percent of donors being sorority or fraternity members. This year, the College Advancement office is hopeful that they will see similar success, and have expanded the challenges to encourage widespread participation.
“The Thiel community is marked by their generosity,” said Director of Alumni Relations Kelly Sanzari ’13. “Each year our expectations are high and we see them met with great enthusiasm from the network of our alumni and friends. This year, we used the momentum from last year’s challenges that provided a sense of competition. These challenges really drove the day to success, and I am confident that our alumni and friends will be just as supportive again this year.”
Thiel College has been ranked alongside top national research institutions for alumni generosity by Forbes Magazine’s Grateful Grads Index, indicating that graduates from the College actively give back to their alma mater at above-average levels.
About The Thiel Fund
The Thiel Fund is the College’s largest source of unrestricted funds. It supports need-based scholarships, academic programming, athletics and campus improvements. It also provides for unforeseen expenses, student needs and special opportunities.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.