ST. GEORGE — Utah Tech University’s annual Trailblazer Day of Giving raised a record-setting $85,000 from 82 donations during the recently completed D-Week.
The 36-hour event April 9-10 exceeded its initial fundraising goal of $50,000.
This is the fourth year the university has held the Trailblazer Day of Giving, but this year marks the first time it has been held during D-Week.
Utah Tech’s Director of Development Lance Brown told St. George News the event requires extensive preparation and collaboration from all university stakeholders.
“We call it a day of giving, but a lot of it is legwork,” Brown said.
He said team members engage with donors, businesses and campus entities well before the event, ensuring a unified effort the day of. This approach has allowed the event to grow incrementally each year.
The raised funds are allocated to various projects designed to enhance student life and educational programs.
“There are three focuses,” he said. “We have need-based scholarships, athletic scholarships and the Active Learning Active Life fund.”
The fund supports the university’s polytechnic mission, emphasizing practical, hands-on experiences that go beyond traditional classroom learning.
Brown emphasized that polytechnical colleges do not just teach subjects like computer programming.
“There are externships and study abroad initiatives that are very hands-on,” he said. “Those cost a lot more money than just sitting in a classroom with a projector.”
The university emphasizes that every donation, regardless of size, is significant.
“People may think their $10 or $30 may not make that much of an impact,” he said. “But when combined with hundreds of others doing the same, then you’re changing lives.”
Brown said that the generosity of the community is not lost on those involved.
“There’s the dollar amount, but there’s also the intent behind it,” he said. “$10 to one person might mean a lot more than it would somebody else. That is not lost on us.”
Click here for additional details on this event or to participate in future events.
“It is an indicator of how much our community cares about this institution and the mission to educate,” Brown said.
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