Xavier scholarship fundraiser is June 7

On Tuesday, June 7, Xavier University of Louisiana, the nation’s top-ranked producer of Black doctors, will hold its fourth annual online, social media-driven fundraising event – “Give. Love. Xavier Day” – from 12:00 a.m. to midnight. The event invites alumni and friends to come together for one day to show their support for the University with financial contributions.

Participants are encouraged to post about the event via social networks (such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) to spread the excitement and encourage their friends and followers to give. Conversations also are encouraged by sharing the hashtag #GLXU16, connecting to the @XULAalumni website, and visiting http://www.xula.edu/givelove to pledge and see real-time results.

This year’s theme is “Xavier Proud.” Gia Soublet, XU Vice President for Institutional Advancement, said all gifts made online that day go directly to the Annual Fund, which supports scholarships and other important University programs. The donor goal for this year’s campaign is 3,000 individuals.

“The Xavier community coming together like this showcases the spirit of our University,” said Soublet. “Our mission is to prepare students to assume roles of leadership and service in the global society and these alumni are taking on the responsibility of preserving that tradition. Their donations to the Annual Fund make a vital difference in the lives of current students.”

Last year a total of $509,000 was contributed by nearly 2,470 donors on Give. Love. Xavier Day, far surpassing the previous year total of $275,000 by 1,157 donors.

“All of last year’s Challenge Grant Initiatives were met,” said Kim Reese, XU Director of Alumni Relations. “Those matches brought in an extra $152,536 in pledges, making many of our donor dollars twice as impactful!”

This year’s event has nearly $135,000 in matching challenge grants, which will only be realized if Xavierites and friends make gifts on June 7.

More information on Give. Love. Xavier Day is available at http://www.xula.edu/givelove or by contacting Lacrecia James at (504) 520-5129.

This article originally published in the May 30, 2016 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.