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Bears Give Back Giving Day donors set an all-time high of $695,967 from 849 donors.

On Tuesday, March 22, Bear Nation came together to shatter records in support of Lenoir-Rhyne during the fifth annual giving day, Bears Give Back.

This year, Lenoir-Rhyne donors set an all-time high of $695,967 from 849 donors. Gifts poured in from across the country and around the world, arriving from as far away as Texas, California, Washington state and Canada. The funds benefit LR students by ensuring access to scholarships, innovative academic programs, study abroad, athletic opportunities and expanded community engagement.

Match and challenge gifts were a significant factor in the success of this year’s effort. President Fred Whitt and Donna Whitt issued a matching gift of $10,000, and LR secured a $500,000 challenge from an anonymous group of donors when it reached 500 donors. These commitments motivated others to give on this day, extending the impact of their gifts.

“Once again, the LR community came together to support and honor this place that we all love so much,” said Cat Serrin Niekro, vice president of advancement and marketing/communications. “We are deeply grateful to every donor who stepped up on Bears Give Back to support our students, faculty and the transformational experiences that happen here every day.”

The collective power of the LR community applied to more than gifts. Students demonstrated their strength of giving back by making their own contributions to the campaign, thanking donors, and even supporting a campus-wide service project making literacy flashcard sets for local elementary schools. In addition, LR ambassadors spread the word about the giving day through social media and their personal networks.

LR’s giving day has grown steadily since its inception in 2018. The campaign raised almost $98,000 from nearly 300 donors in its first year and $384,000 from nearly 650 donors in 2021.

Even though this year’s giving day is over, donors can still support LR students by making a gift to the university. For more information about making a gift through the fiscal year end of May 31, 2022, visit lr.edu/IGive2LRU.