From the Nominator

BGSU One Day is Bowling Green State University’s annual day of giving, designed to inspire alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, and friends to support life-changing opportunities for Falcons. The strategic goal of the 2025 campaign was to drive awareness, engagement, and participation leading up to the 36-hour giving period while highlighting the tangible impact of philanthropy on the BGSU student experience. To achieve this, the campaign centered on a dynamic video storytelling strategy supported by coordinated digital marketing across social media, email, and the One Day website. A teaser video launched one week before the event to build anticipation and encourage early engagement, followed by the release of the full campaign video. The video served as the central creative asset for the campaign, combining humor, energy, and authentic storytelling to capture the spirit of the BGSU experience while reinforcing the importance of donor support. Messaging emphasized how gifts support in-demand academic programs, experiential learning opportunities, scholarships such as the Thompson Working Families Scholarship, and initiatives that prepare students for successful careers. The campaign also highlighted BGSU’s national strengths, including being ranked the No. 1 public university in Ohio for career preparation. The strategy successfully mobilized the BGSU community. During the 36-hour campaign, 5,367 supporters from all 50 states and around the world made gifts, helping the university raise more than $2.7 million for the second consecutive year. The campaign demonstrated the power of creative storytelling and community engagement to inspire philanthropic participation and expand access to higher education.

From the Judges

A smart, fun giving day video that showcased diverse giving opportunities and achieved strong results at an affordable cost!