IC’s Cortaca Jug Victory Continues with Giving Challenge Win

By Kyle Hornyak, November 22, 2022
IC community rallies to best SUNY Cortland during Cortaca Giving Challenge held from November 7-13, 2022.
Cortaca Jug Giving Challenge Logo

After cheering Ithaca College’s Bomber football team on to a win against SUNY Cortland’s Red Dragons during the 2022 Cortaca Jug, Bomber fans prevailed against the Red Dragons in the Cortaca Giving Challenge.

This friendly competition between institutions ran from November 7 to 13, 2022, and called on Bomber and Red Dragon community members to make a gift in support of student success. To encourage participation, President La Jerne Terry Cornish and SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum put their respective school pride at stake: the president of the school receiving the lesser number of gifts during the specified time would be required to don their competitor school’s colors for a full day.

With Bomber pride on the line, the IC community rallied to keep President Cornish in blue, with 1,201 donors making gifts in support of the challenge, raising a total of $255,174. In total, more than 2,200 Bomber and Red Dragon fans combined their efforts to raise more than $500,000 to foster student success.

“I am thrilled that so many individuals from our communities came together in the spirit of competition for the Cortaca Giving Challenge. Friendly rivalry aside, each of our institutions is committed to empowering students to succeed, and gifts made during this challenge will help to ensure this shared, critical mission.”

President La Jerne Terry Cornish

“I am thrilled that so many individuals from our communities came together in the spirit of competition for the Cortaca Giving Challenge,” shared President La Jerne Terry Cornish. “Friendly rivalry aside, each of our institutions is committed to empowering students to succeed, and gifts made during this challenge will help to ensure this shared, critical mission.”

Donations made to the challenge on behalf of the Ithaca College community power the college’s annual fund that supports all aspects of the IC experience. IC Annual Fund contributions go toward providing financial assistance for students, innovating the on-campus learning experience, sustaining student activities, maintaining the campus’s beauty, and more.

“We are so appreciative of the many alumni, families, friends, staff, and students who stepped up to help us best Cortland in the Cortaca Giving Challenge,” shares Brian Kluger ’14, senior associate director of engagement. “Thank you to all who made a gift to help our community show that it’s always a great day to be a Bomber!”

While the challenge has concluded, gifts are still being accepted. Visit giving.ithaca.edu to learn more about the Cortaca Giving Challenge and contribute to the IC experience.