24 Hour Challenge Shatters Trinity University Records

On Nov. 8, Tigers around the world made a record-breaking 1,743 gifts to Trinity University, totaling $354,684.09. Both the number of donations and amount raised were the highest in the University’s 24 Hour Challenge history, exceeding the past records of 1,304 donations (set in 2016) and nearly $160,000 raised (set in 2015).

Trinity encouraged Tigers to give where it mattered to them, including any athletics teams, student organizations, or academic programs they were particularly passionate about on campus. Student scholarships received the most gifts, followed by athletics, the Trinity Fund, and academics.

Matching gifts helped increase the amount of money raised for the University. The ultimate matching gift headlined the Challenge — a group of anonymous donors pledged to give $85,000 to student scholarships and financial aid if 1,500 gifts were made. Throughout the day, other matching challenges benefited areas like the Trinity football team, the Michael Kearl Scholarship, and the Mexico, the Americas, and Spain International Experience Endowment Fund.

Parents, students, and alumni each had their own matching challenges, too. Perhaps the most entertaining challenge was a lip-sync show promised by Trinity Vice Presidents Michael Bacon ‘89 and Tess Coody-Anders ‘93 if 333 Trinity alumni gave by 3:33 p.m., the time of Trinity’s weekly Nacho Hour. Alumni successfully met that goal by noon, and Bacon and Coody-Anders delivered, performing to “4 Minutes” by Madonna and Justin Timberlake.

"Talk about feeling the love!” said Bacon. “I want to share my gratitude and, honestly, the gratitude of all of our students who receive financial aid and scholarships, to those who supported Trinity. The Challenge was a fun and easy way to make your gift and help others in their Trinity journey."