Although Syracuse University has hosted an annual day of giving (called Boost the ’Cuse) since 2017, 2023 marked the addition of a broadcast element to the day, one that would stream live on the giving day website and on screens across campus. We really leaned into the theme of participation: Boost Takes All of ’cUSe. The university created 16 live shows to showcase the very best of Syracuse University and inspired 5,782 donors from all 50 states and 27 countries to contribute $2,325,997, the highest revenue of any giving day to date. Of the donors, 22% made their first gift to Syracuse University that day, and many said they were inspired by the content they saw during the live shows, which streamed live on March 23, 2023 and featured NFL RedZone’s Scott Hanson (a Syracuse alumnus) as the main host. There were also 29 original pieces of content, showcasing 54 university leaders, faculty/staff, students, and notable alumni, from eight live locations on-campus and around the world. In total, 12,180 viewers watched the live content we produced that day, with an average watch time of 14.5 minutes. One year later, the Syracuse University community is still talking about the inaugural Boost Broadcast and what we were able to pull off with incredible buy-in from the Orange community.
From the Judges
We loved that SU amplified their giving day through clever live broadcasting highlighting students, academics, and athletics. Kudos for the real-time reports with maps and for great engagement and results!
