$2,731,574 was raised on Dam Proud Day, Oregon State University’s annual day of giving, on April 24.
On Dam Proud Day, Beavers from all over came to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of OSU students this year.
A livestream of the event occurred that can still be watched on the Dam Proud Day website. The livestream interviewed the heads of many departments here at Oregon State University, as well as some head coaches to ask how Dam Proud Day helps their programs.
Many Oregon State University organizations gathered in the Student Experience Center Plaza to encourage students and faculty to consider donating to their organization and to educate people about the impact they are making on the Oregon State community.
The many athletics programs here at OSU rely heavily on Dam Proud Day donations to refresh their equipment and improve facilities.
For example, the Oregon State University Men’s Rowing team is hoping to put their Dam Proud Day donations toward a new rowing shell.
Such organizations that assembled in the SEC Plaza include the Oregon Sea Grant, Women’s Giving Circle, the OSU Alumni Association, Greek Life and lots of different colleges within OSU.
“Our role is to spark discovery and curiosity and collaboration and understanding of coastal systems and coastal communities through education and research,” said Marine Education Coordinator Lindsay Carrol.
Carrol works with the Oregon Sea Grant and most Dam Proud Day donations given to this organization go toward the Hatfield Marine Science Center.
“A budding marine enthusiast who is in high school (and) who wants to participate in one of our career days, a $25 donation would support that. A $100 donation would actually help support feeding the live animals in our touch pools and our octopus for one month,” Carroll said.
Many programs rely on donations from Oregon State alumni, but the Oregon State University Alumni Association also relies on donations.
“We will typically pick a fund that we’re supporting for Dam Proud Day. In the past, we’ve raised money for student scholarships and various programs. This year we’re fundraising for our excellence fund,” said Piper Geniza, director of alumni engagement programs at the Alumni Association.
This excellence fund supports programs like the OSU Connections Platform, identity networks and regional events where students can connect with OSU alumni.
Each college within Oregon State University also has its own fund that they received donations for this Dam Proud Day. These colleges put their donations toward funds to help students reach their goals and fund their research.
“We’re raising funds for two different things. We’re raising funds for the IMPACT Program, which is part of the Adaptive Physical Activity Program,” said Casey Farm, director of alumni relations for the College of Health. “We’re also raising money for scholarships.”
The IMPACT Program helps kids with special needs with movement and is a program that many kinesiology students, undergraduate and graduate, are a part of.
Greek Life at Oregon State University also receives Dam Proud Day donations. They use their donations to help improve Greek life on and off campus and to find ways to improve student life.
“The cause that we support is our Emerging Leaders Fund. We have chapters invite usually around one to two new members who are most likely going to be transitioning to some sort of exec position, so whether that’s incoming presidents, vice presidents, we get them all together, to give them some more information about how to actually be great leaders within their community,” said Alex Gonzalez, student program advisor.
“It’s really just to build better and greater leaders for our community,” Gonzalez said.
Donations toward certain organizations are still being accepted at the Dam Proud Day website.
