"In spring 2022, it became possible again to safely hold the University of Virginia’s Thank a Donor Day, which has traditionally taken place on UVA’s lawn as an in-person event. Due to COVID, the event had been put on pause. Advancement Communications worked with Donor Relations to rebrand the event and bring a bit of excitement to help encourage student participation. This event raises awareness of private support for students and is greatly valued by our donors, who receive handwritten thank-you notes written at the event. We also capture video as our students show their appreciation for the numerous donations across the university.
The event was held at UVA’s McIntire Amphitheater. To promote student participation, we created a series of environmental graphics and signage to highlight Thank a Donor Day as students passed through the historic central grounds of UVA. We utilized everything from sidewalk decals to banners and balloon arches—and offered free donuts and coffee."
From the Judges
This is a lovely event that brings students together to learn about philanthropy and give thanks to the university donors. The ability for 660 students to create over 1,700 hand-written thank you notes shows that this event clearly met its goals.
