IC Community Revs up for May 4 Giving Day

By Kyle Hornyak, April 19, 2021

24-hour giving event celebrates the Ithaca College experience.

(Photo by Mike Grippi '10)

Each year, thousands of alumni, students, faculty, staff, family and friends show their love for Ithaca College by making gifts that support the institution’s students. On May 4, IC community members will have the opportunity to step up, maximize their collective impact on the IC experience, and demonstrate their Bomber Pride through Ithaca College Giving Day, a 24-hour giving event designed to empower current and future IC students.

“So much of what makes Ithaca College distinctive is powered by the generosity of our community,” shared Wendy Kobler, vice president for Philanthropy and Engagement. “Every gift received is deeply appreciated, and I am so looking forward to seeing what our donor community will accomplish when we come together on Tuesday, May 4.”

Donors can support a myriad of Ithaca College funds and causes on Giving Day. There are also many fundraising challenges with corresponding prizes that amplify a donation — for example, the first and final Giving Day gifts will receive an extra $250 in support of the school or fund associated with that gift.

Gifts can be made on May 4 through the Ithaca College Giving Day online portal. Donations received from midnight to 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 4 will be counted as Giving Day contributions.

While much of the college’s philanthropic support comes from alumni, faculty, staff and community members, current students are showing their dedication to IC through making contributions that enhance the IC experience. Bianca Summerville ’21 developed an understanding of the power of philanthropy through an internship at the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, built on that experience through serving as co-chair of the Senior Class Gift Committee, and is committed to supporting Ithaca College Giving Day by making a donation and spreading the word among her peers.

“I personally benefited greatly from students who came before me, so for me, supporting the college monetarily with a donation is just one of the ways I see myself as responsible for giving back.”

Bianca Summerville ’21, co-chair of the Senior Class Gift Committee

“I feel like I'm someone the college has invested fairly heavily in in the past,” Summerville explains. “I've gone to a lot of academic conferences, have had my travel compensated, submitted to big flashy awards that would have been way too expensive for me to pay for myself...[Former Park School] Dean Gayeski would always make a point of saying, ‘This is coming from the Annual Fund.’”

Summerville acknowledges that all current students have been impacted by donor philanthropy, and should not be dissuaded from making a contribution simply because they feel that their donation is not a transformative gift. “I personally benefited greatly from students who came before me, so for me, supporting the college monetarily with a donation is just one of the ways I see myself as responsible for giving back — I did not make a large gift by any means, but students shouldn’t feel they have to donate $500 to make a difference.”

Make a Difference

To learn more making a difference during Ithaca College Giving Day on May 4, visit givingday.ithaca.edu, and be sure to follow #ICGivingDay on social media for the latest Ithaca College Giving Day updates.