In 2019, we celebrated the 225th anniversary of the University of Tennessee during Big Orange Give. We set our goal at $2.25 million and offered over $100,000 that matched donors dollar-for-dollar up to $225. The Volunteer family surpassed our special goal and raised more than $2.5 million.
Donors to the 2018 Big Orange Give supported 142 different scholarship funds. That included need-based and merit-based scholarships as well as campus-wide and unit-specific scholarship funds.
Jim and Judi Herbert challenged the UT community to raise $500,000 during Big Orange Give. In return, they promised to give $500,000 to the UT Writing Center. The community exceeded the goal, and the Herbert’s gift has revolutionized writing instruction at UT.
VOLstarter, the university’s crowdfunding site, saw a 121% increase in the amount of money raised during Big Orange Give. Three projects were fully funded, including a project for UT senior Payton Miller to pay for paint and supplies to create amazing, original designs on The Rock before each football game.
Alumni Board Chairman Clay Jones offered a true match for the first time during Big Orange Give. Clay matched every gift up to $100 for a total of $10,000. His investment matched 128 gifts that totaled $26,751 and were directed to 43 different UT funds.
Big Orange Give raised more than $19,000 for the Pride of the Southland Marching Band, helping to establish the Band Service Scholarship, which awards a scholarship to every member of the Pride. The scholarship amount increases each year the student is a member.
Only 54 hours into the campaign, donor support pushed us over the top of our original goal. We were awed when the new $175,000 goal was met less than 48 hours later. When our first Big Orange Give came to an end, the final tally hit $250,105–double our original goal!