One day. One gift. One enormous impact.
On April 17, the University of Kentucky will rally its alumni, friends and fans to support its very first One Day for UK. This online campaign is a 24-hour day of giving during which supporters can give to the UK college, unit or cause of their choice.
Many areas throughout the university have selected a specific fund to focus on for One Day for UK. The International Center has chosen to highlight the International Education Fund which supports scholarships for both UK international students and U.S. students.
“Gifts to the International Education Fund will directly support students,” said Sue Roberts, associate provost for internationalization. “We have some partial scholarships to help high-performing international students and we also have scholarships for U.S. students who undertake education abroad. We would like to build up both these programs so we can support more students.
Roberts said that sometimes, an international student has a huge change in their circumstances and suddenly can find it difficult to finish their degree. In these situations, even a small scholarship can make all the difference and can make it possible for a dedicated student to finish their degree.
“When it comes to being able to participate in an education abroad experience, many students are worried about how they can afford the program fees and the travel expenses. Again, a scholarship can make a huge difference and can make the dream of studying abroad accessible to more UK students,” Roberts said. “The impact of a gift to this fund is without doubt. Students know the value of an international experience and are hungry for these opportunities. The International Education Fund opens up these truly transformative opportunities to more students.
In its first year, the goal of One Day for UK is to raise awareness about the day of giving and to generate support for UK.
“This is a chance for people to show their UK pride,” said Sarah Fitzgerald, associate director of annual giving and One Day for UK organizer. “Many people are unaware of the many areas they can support at UK. This is a chance for us to spend one day celebrating UK, teaching people about the different ways they can support the university and showing them how they can help us continue to grow.”
With this online campaign, the university hopes to reach a broader audience, including reconnecting with alumni, engaging young alumni and motivating all our supporters to make a gift. In addition to showing financial support to the college, unit or cause of their choice, supporters can help spread the word about this campaign by reposting messages, sparking conversation about UK online and encouraging their friends and family to give.
The International Center is seeking ambassadors-students, friends and donors- to help publicize One Day for UK through their personal social media. Each ambassador will receive a toolkit with language and strategies to help them spread the message. To become an International Center ambassador, visit https://www.onedayforuk.uky.edu/ or contact Andrea Gils in the International Center at andrea.gils@uky.edu
“It is a community effort,” Fitzgerald said. “Together, we can make a huge impact on campus through One Day for UK. We can provide more scholarships and research opportunities for students, give our colleges and departments the resources they need to be successful and strengthen our creative and outreach efforts which help transform the Commonwealth and beyond.”
