Donor participation increased throughout the UM-Flint community during Giving Blueday 2025

Giving Blueday–the University of Michigan's annual day of giving–is generally known as an online event. After all, the internet is the best way to engage U-M's global community of alumni and other supporters of the Maize and Blue. It's an effective method that allows donors to support what they love about the university at their convenience. During Giving Blueday 2025, supporters gave $4.7 million to the university in just 24 hours.

The University of Michigan-Flint raised nearly $550,000 this Giving Blueday. In addition to that flurry of online generosity, there was a palpable energy on campus during the day. Members of student groups made money for their organizations through a cash cube game. Faculty and staff kept the momentum going by volunteering for a dunk tank in McKinnon Plaza. And for many, the highlight of the day was Chancellor Laurence Alexander being duct-taped to the wall of the Harding Mott University Center. Each donation represented one piece of duct tape, and by 12:30 p.m., March 19, there were enough donations to successfully suspend the campus leader above the floor. 

Thanks to the generosity of the UM-Flint community, donation amounts increased across the board from the previous year. Examples of this uptick in giving activity include:

• An increase in student giving of 126%.
• First-time donors upped their giving by 40%.
• Giving by recent graduates grew by 37%. 
• Faculty and staff gave 60% more than in 2024. 

This wide-reaching increase in involvement made a difference for student organizations like the men's hockey club, which raised more than $10,000. 

"These gifts will help our program tremendously. We will use the money raised to improve our facilities and ensure that our players have the resources necessary to succeed as student-athletes," said Nick Karstens, the club's head coach and 2015 UM-Flint graduate with a bachelor's degree in communications. Karstens explained that, with the team's promotion to the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I, there is a lot of work to be done before the 2025-26 season. That promotion, and these gifts, reflect the hard work of the team's players and supporters, past and present. 

"Backed by the hard work of everyone involved, we have built our program during the past 19 years to not only put a competitive product on the ice but also be heavily involved with and give back to our community. We have a very strong group of alumni and supporters that care about our program," Karstens said.

The women's volleyball club also found success during Giving Blueday, raising close to $1,400 dollars. Madelynn DeJarlais, a senior health sciences student from Perry and vice president of the club, said those gifts will allow them to continue on their trajectory of growth and success. 

"With these funds, we can attend more tournaments, strengthen our competitive edge, and continue growing a program that sets new standards for success," she said. "Last season, we won just one silver bracket. This year, we've already tripled that achievement, proving how much this team is capable of.

"With so many first-year students in our program, we are developing a new generation of players who will have more experience than ever before. These athletes mean so much to us, and we are committed to investing in them, not just as players, but as teammates, mentors, and students. This team is more than just a sport; it's a community, a support system, and the foundation of lifelong friendships."

Academic life also benefited greatly from the outpouring of generosity from the UM-Flint community. Leading all units in money raised was the School of Management, which garnered close to $250,000 in donations. The number was helped in no small part by Steve Whitener's matching gift to SOM's degree completion scholarship fund. Whitener, a 1977 graduate with a bachelor's degree in business, was recognized as SOM's Outstanding Alumni last year. 

"Just last week, two students received financial support from the SOM degree completion scholarship fund that allowed them to graduate this year," said Yener Kandogan, SOM interim dean. "Can you imagine the difference this support makes in their lives? It is the difference between having a college degree or not. Thanks to Steve Whitener, the impact of these gifts was doubled, helping even more students complete the transformational goal of earning a college degree."

For the College of Arts, Sciences and Education, Giving Blueday 2025 donors enriched students' education by supporting real-world practical skill development and opportunities to expand their horizons. Donations funded scholarships for all the college's majors, internships, experiential and client-based learning, cocurricular activities and conference participation, field trips and research, study abroad programs, summer camps for local school-aged children, and career development programming, helping prepare students for lifelong success.

This investment from the CASE community has been pivotal for Mekka Al-Shawi. "My time at UM-Flint has allowed me to develop a deeper sense of who I am as a person, and my identity with the spaces available on campus," Al-Shawi said. In addition to her involvement in CASE, the senior sociology major from Dearborn is also an intern with the university's Intercultural Center.

Giving Blueday is a hallmark of student support every year, but gifts supporting the next generation of Leaders & Best are always welcome. Those interested in learning more about giving can contact University Advancement at 810-424-5448 or visit the UM-Flint Giving webpage.