Prairie View A&M University’s Office of Development will kick off the month-long “I love my HBCU Month” campaign tomorrow, March 1, 2018. Established by the Thurgood Marshall Foundation, I Love My HBCU Month was created to encourage alumni and friends of Historically Black Colleges and Universities to give to their Universities as a way of demonstrating their affinity. Prairie View initiated its campaign in March 2017 and took it a step further by identifying alumni ambassadors who could speak on their PVAMU experience, why they love their HBCU and encourage others to donate during March. “During the month’s time frame, our goal is to generate a minimum amount of $20,000,” said LaShonda Williams, Annual Fund Manager, “We are asking alums to make a minimum gift of $18.76 which is commemorative of the year the University was established.”
Monies received in this campaign will go to the PVAMU Annual Fund which houses unrestricted funds that serve the University. “Unrestricted funds allow flexibility to make an immediate impact on University needs at that moment,” said Williams. She also said it is ideal for alumni to enroll in the reoccurring gifts program and check to see if their company offers matching gifts so they can double their donation dollars. Incentives and gifts are available to donors who participate in the campaign. Those who gift $50 to the campaign will receive a limited edition “Show Some Love” pendant. Contributions of $100 or more will receive the pendant and an “I Love My HBCU” t-shirt. “Both of those items you cannot purchase in stores and is a token of our appreciation for their participation in this campaign,” said Williams.
That is not all the Office of Development has planned! During March, select chapters of the PVAMU National Alumni Association will host Annual Fund Happy Hours in cities in which there is a high saturation of alumni with existing alumni chapters. “The purpose of the Annual Fund Happy Hour is to bring awareness to the importance of giving back to our University on a consistent basis, but in addition to that promotion of camaraderie and philanthropy,” said Williams. These series of events are efforts put in place by the Office of Development to develop long-term relationships with the alumni, increase the donor base and promote lifetime giving. “We really want to engage alumni on a more consistent basis,” said Williams. To see if an alumni chapter in your area is hosting an Annual Fund Happy Hour visit the Prairie View A&M University Facebook page.