On March 12, McGill24 reached a remarkable milestone – the tenth anniversary of the University’s annual day of giving – and it did so in record-breaking style. Across its campuses and around the globe, members of the McGill community came together online and in person over 24 hours to lend generous support to student projects, faculty research and outreach programs that are making a difference at McGill and in communities beyond.
With 7,181 gifts from donors totalling $5,339,487, the day-long digital fundraiser showed the extraordinary impact collective giving can have on student life, research, and faculty initiatives.
First launched in 2016, when few Canadian universities held online day-of-giving campaigns, McGill24’s web and social media-based approach has galvanized alumni, volunteers, students, faculty and staff each year in ever bigger numbers.
“Since its inception a decade ago, McGill24 has focused on uniting the global McGill community around important causes impacting students and research,” says Marc Weinstein, Vice-President, University Advancement. “In the lead-up to the tenth year, we chose to highlight this milestone by letting people know ‘The next decade of impact begins with you’, signifying the importance of our community in propelling McGill forward. I am thrilled by how this day of giving celebrates the generosity of that community and their steadfast commitment to the University.”
The evolution of McGill24 has been marked by growing participation around the world, social media buzz, and increased campaign totals. In recent years, crowdfunding for student-led initiatives has emerged as a hugely popular mechanism for giving directly to students who are testing cutting-edge ideas, organizing academic conferences and contributing to local community programs. Student-athletes have also capitalized on the grassroots nature of crowdfunding to promote their teams and clubs and obtain support for equipment, training and travel for tournaments.
“I am once again struck by the passion of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff show when they band together to make a difference in our campus communities and beyond,” says Deep Saini, President and Vice-Chancellor. “More than ever, McGill24 demonstrates our global community’s confidence in the value of universities as centres of learning, innovation, debate, and as key drivers in social mobility, particularly in the face of global challenges and uncertainty.”
McGill24 ambassadors helped celebrate the 10th edition and included Olympian Savannah King, global health expert Madhukar Pai, current students, young alumni and dedicated volunteers.
In addition to an important contribution in support of campaign matching funds from the Board of the McGill Alumni Association, alumni branches in Toronto, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vienna, London and many places in between supported McGill at in-person events in their respective cities. Members of McGill’s campus communities also lent their support to faculties, McGill Libraries, and Athletics and Recreation.
New this year was a McGill Crowdfunding competition, where student innovators pitched their projects to win extra funds for their group. Hosted by Montreal entrepreneur Jake Karls, co-founder of the snack company Mid-Day Squares and a self-described “modern-day Willy Wonka”, the event took place both online and on campus, with attendees voting on their favourite projects. The Maude Abbott Medical Museum team took the top prize of $500.
Visit the McGill24 website to learn more about this year’s campaign and achievements, from faculty challenges to student crowdfunding initiatives.