{"id":45515,"date":"2020-04-09T16:28:19","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T20:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=45515"},"modified":"2021-04-08T11:52:05","modified_gmt":"2021-04-08T15:52:05","slug":"lovemu-day-2020-sets-new-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2020\/lovemu-day-2020-sets-new-records\/","title":{"rendered":"LovEMU Day 2020 sets new records!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With help from rallying donors across all 50 states and an impromptu head-shaving challenge, EMU\u2019s fourth annual LovEMU Giving Day on April 8 raised a record $214,683 from 732 gifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This amount is an increase of nearly $100,000 over the 2019 totals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you to the many, many supporters who have “shown up together” in big ways for the people that make EMU the special place it is – our students, faculty, and staff.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The historic day was a surprising and uplifting result at a time when many other university fundraising events are being cautiously rescheduled or even cancelled. Much of the event\u2019s momentum in past years carried over from on-campus activities, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed outreach in the digital space to an audience ready to respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Royals supporters were equally as generous with their time and energy, sharing videos and photos online and sending love to EMU in a way \u201cthat made the day feel inclusive in a way it\u2019s never been before,\u201d said Braydon Hoover ’11<\/strong>, director of development and annual giving and chair of the event committee. \u201cWe truly are one big family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media was a-buzz with tiny tots and kids of alumni in Royal blue, field hockey players batting balls, volleyball athletes challenging their fans, musicians and triathletes and cross country runners and artists all sharing their love for EMU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur theme this year was \u2018Show Up for EMU\u2019 and that happened in a big way at a hugely important time for all of us,\u201d said Kirk Shisler<\/strong> ’81<\/strong>, vice president for advancement. \u201cLovEMU Day brought us together in a way that no other event could.”\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As if the excitement could not be contained, the 24-hour outpouring of love began even before April 8 and stretched into the morning of April 9, with more donations accumulating even in this morning. Target goals on the challenges were met quickly with tallies eventually far exceeding the goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other highlights of 2020 LovEMU Day:<\/p>\n\n\n\n