From the Nominator

On the evening of 1842 Day, Villanova’s annual day of giving, more than 350 students participated in a special edition of NovaQuizzo, the popular weekly trivia game hosted on campus. From planning to execution, Villanova students created and executed this new signature event. Co-hosted by the university president and the student NovaQuizzo team, the event allowed teams of four students to participate in three rounds of Villanova-themed trivia to win dollars in support of Villanova student organizations or academic departments. An alumnus donated a total of $10,000 to be awarded to the top four winning teams. The student NovaQuizzo team wrote the Villanova-themed trivia questions, developed the show flow, created and facilitated “mini games” between trivia rounds and scored all answer sheets. The event also featured student musical performances and free Taco Tuesday sponsored by the Office of the President for all participants. Finally, all technology needs were met by the student Tech Crew, including a Facebook Live stream for alumni to watch the event virtually.

From the Judges

The launch to Villanova’s giving day at trivia night was an exceptional use of resources and creative thinking to engage the student body in a competition for donor-provided funds. The students led the partnership with campus entities to create a unique experience, and also highlighted the direct impact that alumni donors can have on the student experience. The organizers were able to directly teach the student body about philanthropy while having fun, and the participants will remember the event long after its conclusion. This event also served as a fun way to get the campus excited about giving day, and we were impressed by the attendance numbers for the inaugural event. Student groups at other universities can use a version of this event to help engage students in philanthropy. The event was creative, demonstrated a clear understanding of the target audience, and had clear positive results.