On Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, the College of Charleston held its third annual CofC Day, celebrating the 252nd anniversary of its founding with gifts totaling nearly $6.7 million. During the 24 hours of giving, 2,555 donors stepped forward, an impressive 33 percent increase from last year. More than 500 of those donors were current CofC students.
“CofC Day is fast becoming a great tradition here at the College of Charleston,” says President Andrew T. Hsu. “Since it launched during our 250th celebration in 2020, CofC Day is a day where we celebrate all things College of Charleston. I want to thank our students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners for their engagement and, of course, for their generosity. Their gifts make a tremendous difference in the College of Charleston’s ability to deliver on its academic mission and to create a university experience unlike any other.”
Events took place throughout the day online and in person. On Cistern Yard, there was a pre-men’s basketball game pep rally with the Chucktown Sound pep band, CofC cheerleaders, the Cougarettes dance team, Clyde the Cougar and maroon velvet birthday cupcakes.
The annual CofC Day Webcast was hosted by two alumni anchors, Emmy Award-winning alumna Lu Parker ’90 of KTLA in Los Angeles and alumnus Mikel Hannah-Harding ’19 of WRDW/WAGT in Augusta, Georgia. The show included updates on our CofC Day giving tallies and leaderboards, performances by our cheer and dance teams and overviews of happenings on campus, how donor gifts are used and more.
Twenty CofC Club parties with more than 550 attendees spanned the globe from London to Los Angeles.
Throughout the day, more than 100 faculty and staff volunteered their time to communicate with donors, and there were 15 giving challenges that ranged from the Alumni Association Leaders to the Real Estate Program challenges.
The Alumni Donor challenge was spearheaded by Nicholas Glover ’05 who pledged a donation of $50,000 with the participation of 1,000 alumni, a goal that was reached by 7 p.m. “The College was a great investment for me,” says Glover ’05. “I’m happy to give back so future generations can thrive in the same diverse, liberal arts setting that helped shape who I am.”
The Alumni Association Leaders Challenge, initiated by Board President Derrick Williams ’99 with a $5,000 pledge, and matched by Laurie Minges ’83 and Brady Quirk-Garvan ’08, inspired the generosity of more than 100 alumni.
This year, 50 donors contributed to the institutional diversity fund in support of the 1967 Legacy Program generating a total of $9,510.
The School of Education, Health, and Human Performance Dean’s Excellence Fund reached and surpassed its challenge of seeking 20 donors to support the Dean’s Excellence Fund, unlocking an anonymous gift of $10,000 and ultimately raising $207,421.
Thanks to the College community, 252 years of Cougar spirit blazed on the third annual CofC Day, paving the way for enduring opportunities.