NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma has set a record for fundraising in a single day, raising $26,648,681 during Giving Day 2024. OU received nearly 7,100 gifts including support from all 50 states and 16 countries across the globe.
OU’s annual Giving Day is the university's largest single fundraising event of the year, uniting the entire OU community to support students, departments and programs across all three OU campuses.
During the 24-hour span, OU received 36 gifts of $100,000 or more, with 23 of those gifts each coming in at $250,000 and above. Gifts of $1 million or more included:
The success of Giving Day 2024 further powered the university’s Lead On campaign, which is more than halfway to its goal of raising $2 billion in support of students, faculty and programs. Lead On reached $1 billion in March and has already generated more than $240 million in student support.
“Giving Day continues to be an incredible reminder of the strength, generosity and vision of the OU Family, which again proved its remarkable support for our Lead On campaign,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “With more than $1 billion raised toward our campaign goal, we are more certain than ever that our OU Family has the capability to change the world with extraordinary learning opportunities, groundbreaking research, a strong university community and the support of those who believe in this work. The next $1 billion is well within our reach.”
OU’s annual Giving Day is a time for students, faculty and staff, alumni and friends to come together for 24 hours in support of the university and their favorite causes. The event – complete this year with a movie night and social media giving challenges – promotes and educates the OU Family on the importance of philanthropy.
“We are grateful for the incredible generosity of OU’s vast, dedicated community, which has made this Giving Day another record-breaking success,” said Amy Noah, vice president and chief advancement officer for the OU Foundation. “Giving Day and the philanthropic support it brings each year are absolutely essential to so many functions of our university, from the activities of our students to the work of our esteemed faculty and the many programs that ensure our university’s success.”
For more information about how to support the University of Oklahoma and the Lead On campaign, visit leadonou.org.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. OU was named the state’s highest-ranking university in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent Best Colleges list. For more information about the university, visit ou.edu.
About the Foundation
The University of Oklahoma Foundation is an independent charitable organization that facilitates and manages philanthropic gifts to support the University of Oklahoma. With a culture of integrity, skill and persistence, we align the passions of donors and our alumni with the indelible mission of the University of Oklahoma.
As we find ourselves a few weeks past OU’s Giving Day, I've had the chance to reflect on the incredible support shown by Gaylord College’s community. With each passing day, my gratitude has only deepened. It was a joy to witness the collective effort of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and donors coming together to champion our programs and students, and I take immense pride in the dedication and hard work exhibited by the team of students I had the privilege to collaborate with to make Giving Day a success. Their passion and commitment were evident in every aspect of our accomplishment, making the day not only impactful but also enjoyable.
Three cycles around the University of Oklahoma’s South Oval will take you one and a half miles. When students make the trek on Sunday, April 28, their laps will be for the symbolic purpose of raising awareness of suicide. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of Darkness Campus Walk at OU will be the first of what organizers hope will become an annual tradition centered around suicide awareness and prevention.
The University of Oklahoma announced today the appointment of Andrea Miller as dean of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication and holder of the Sue Rainbolt Van Natta Chair in Journalism, pending OU Board of Regents’ approval.
