Rice’s 24-Hour Challenge unites alumni, parents, current seniors on Leap Day

The Rice University Board of Trustees has issued the biggest single-day giving participation challenge in the school’s history to Rice undergraduate and graduate alumni, parents and current seniors: If 5,000 donors give to the university Feb. 29 between midnight CST and 11:59 p.m. CST, the board will donate $500,000 to the Rice Annual Fund.

The trustees are dedicated to the continued success of Rice’s students, faculty, staff and alumni. The board’s unprecedented challenge promotes the increased engagement of the Rice community and encourages loyal participation.

“Whether we’re close to campus or in another hemisphere, we alumni can step up for our Owl family during the 24-Hour Challenge,” said trustee Nancy Carlson ’80. “Wherever you are on Feb. 29, I encourage you to join me in supporting the university.”

The Rice Annual Fund provides current-use, unrestricted funding for a range of student initiatives and pressing needs. A $500,000 donation from the board would provide vital support for academic initiatives, scholarships, campus life and experiential learning opportunities.

Last year’s 24-Hour Challenge raised a record number of gifts in a single day and enabled the university to increase its overall alumni giving rate to 34 percent for the 2015 fiscal year, surpassing its goal of 32 percent.

Inspired by last year’s historic demonstration of support from Rice’s alumni network, Rice has raised the stakes in 2016 while also opening the 24-Hour Challenge to the greater Rice community. Gifts of any size and to any area of support on campus from Rice alumni, parents and current seniors will count toward the challenge goal of 5,000 donors in 24 hours.

Find out more and participate at giving.rice.edu/1day1rice. For more information, contact Emily Kernan Hilber, director of the Rice Annual Fund, at 713-348-4666 or emilysk@rice.edu.