In 24 hours on 4/24/2024, the Oregon State community gave a record-breaking 9,100 gifts totaling $2.7 million

Beavs rally. And did we ever on April 24.

On Dam Proud Day 2024, the Oregon State University community made over 9,130 gifts totaling over $2.7 million: over a thousand more gifts and more than $500,000 above last year, and our fourth record-breaking giving day in a row.

Led by the OSU Foundation, the fifth annual day of giving is part of OSU’s second fundraising and engagement campaign, the $1.75 billion Believe It: The Campaign for Oregon State University. Students, alumni, parents and other supporters celebrated with in-person and livestreamed events in Corvallis, Bend and Portland.

“I absolutely love Dam Proud Day,” said OSU President Jayathi Murthy. “It’s a testament to how involved Beavers are with the university’s purpose-driven mission to serve the state of Oregon and tackle global challenges. Thousands within Beaver Nation showed that when we combine philanthropy and passion for the university, amazing things can happen.”

Making 1,200+ gifts above last year, Dam Proud Day participants supported more than 100 funds across the university, most of which directly impact students. Donors came from all 50 states as well as 18 nations (Australia, China, Denmark, El Salvador, Greece, South Africa and more).

Over 200 challenge gifts significantly bolstered the day’s efforts, with donors committing $500 to $25,000 – more than $1 million altogether – to incentivize further giving.  

“Our unique vision for our giving day focuses on participation, rallying the entire Beaver community to make a gift of any size – with no extra-big pre-arranged gift to tip the scale,” said Shawn L. Scoville, OSU Foundation president and CEO. “The day is about the collective spirit of generosity, and it gets more fun every year as more Beavers join in. I’m incredibly grateful to our supporters, especially those who made challenge gifts which supercharge the day, and I am thankful for the university-wide collaboration that made this possible.”

Murthy and her husband, Dr. Sanjay Mathur, made a presidential challenge of $20,000 – which combined with a $25,000 challenge by OSU Foundation board chair-elect Dave Underriner, ’84, and his spouse Barbara – rallied support for the day’s first priority fund, Finish in Four: a new program that provides four-year scholarships and other services for low-income Oregon resident students to help raise graduation rates. Donors contributed more than 175 gifts to Finish in Four, totaling over $128,000!

The other priority fund was the OSU Athletics Fund for Excellence. Boosted by two $25,000 challenges from OSU Foundation Trustees and volunteer leaders – Kim, ’83, and Carl Casale, ’83, and Mary Power, ’90, and her wife Erin – donors collectively gave more than 225 gifts totaling over $121,000 for this fund.

Six additional funds or units raised more than $100,000: the colleges of Forestry, Agricultural Sciences and Engineering as well as Student Affairs, Extension and Engagement and Baseball.

Competition was fierce for the $100,000 Trustee Challenge funded for the third consecutive year by OSU Foundation trustee leaders: chair Penny Atkins, ’79, and her husband, Gary; immediate past chair Eric Schoenstein, ’88, and his wife, Kelly Douglas; former chair Ruth Beyer, ’77; former chair John Stirek, ’82, and his wife, Kate, ’83. Winners will be announced in May.

At the OSU Corvallis campus, more students than ever participated in a street fair-style celebration at the Student Experience Center Plaza next to the Memorial Union featuring giveaways, activities, Beaver Classic ice cream from the College of Agricultural Sciences food truck and an opportunity to take selfies with the OSU Foundation’s #BigBenny, a 20-foot-tall Benny Beaver inflatable. At the Peavy Forest Science Center, participants made a splash with gifts to “Dunk the Dean.” Students also submitted over 100 t-shirt designs in an inaugural contest, and worked in teams to complete a scavenger hunt taking them to places that illustrate the impact of philanthropy.

At OSU-Cascades in Bend, faculty, staff and students gathered in Bruckner Courtyard for free food, coffee, music, games and giveaways. Visitors to the OSU Portland Center received t-shirts and snacks as they learned about Dam Proud Day. Beavers from around the globe tuned into an all-day, livestreamed talk show filmed at the SEC Plaza and enjoyed playing Dam Proud Day Bingo, winning cash prizes for the OSU funds of their choice.

Dam Proud Day celebrated its fifth anniversary this year – a favorite for Beavers (traditional gift, wood). The university-wide giving day launched in 2019 and has taken place each year except 2020, during the pandemic, when the OSU Foundation focused fundraising efforts on the Student Emergency Fund. Since inception, Dam Proud Day donors have given more than $7 million to support OSU.

Learn more about the next opportunity to join with fellow Beavers in making a difference in May through the Days of Service.