From the Nominator

"Over the course of NC State’s Think and Do the Extraordinary campaign, more than 130,000 donors have invested in strengthening every corner of our campus. The collective impact is already making an incredible difference—increasing the number of endowed faculty positions, supporting more students through scholarships and fellowships, making study abroad more accessible, and enhancing our physical spaces.    

To celebrate this extraordinary generosity, students gather during NC State’s homecoming week for our annual Pack Appreciation Day. Activities for this university-wide event educate students about how private support enhances their campus experience and it gives them an opportunity to personally thank supporters. Through multiple communication channels, donors to the capital campaign hear directly from current students about what philanthropy means to them. This past year, more than 1,800 students wrote thank-you cards, shared social media posts, and recorded video messages for our donors, while over 80 volunteers educated those participants about the impact of philanthropy.   

We know students are the reason we are able to think and do the extraordinary. As we continue building on NC State’s thriving culture of philanthropy, we want to show our appreciation to our students. All event participants have the opportunity to receive free university-branded gear and coffee."

From the Judges

Love the statistics. This effort had impact in terms of engagement/participation! Love the focus on those donors who might not be getting a lot of attention from the university (i.e., they are the donors receiving the handwritten thank-you notes)...and while this is a stewardship move in moves management, it can also be viewed as a cultivation move.