Tuskegee University News October 25, 2017 Tuskegee launches first-ever crowdfunding campaign To provide alumni and donors with more opportunities to make a charitable gift, Tuskegee University has launched its first-ever crowdfunding campaign. The new text-to-give platform will allow donors to financially support various university strategic priorities. With the start of Tuskegee's homecoming weekend just a few days away, Krystal Floyd, the university's development director, indicated that the crowdfunding effort will offer everyone the chance to be involved. "Our donors have been looking for a quick and easy way in which to give to Mother Tuskegee, and we think this provides that opportunity," Floyd said. "Getting involved is simple - even if you can't be on campus with us for homecoming weekend." To give by text, anyone - alumni, students, parents and fans - can simply text the word "Tuskegee" to 71777 from any mobile device. From that point, donors can make a donation, share their support of the university through social media, and even become fundraisers themselves by encouraging their family and friends to make a donation as well. In July, Interim President Charlotte P. Morris launched a mini-fundraising campaign with the goal of securing philanthropic support for university priorities that include providing students with a quality education taught by the brightest faculty in the world, well-maintained living spaces conducive to living and learning, and state-of-the-art classrooms. "We are asking our alumni and donors to go above and beyond what they have already so kindly done for us," Morris said. "Giving a gift today is a gift toward a better tomorrow. There are tremendous opportunities on the horizon for Tuskegee University." Professionals in the university's Office of Advancement and Development anticipate this text-based crowdfunding campaign being the first of many to rally support among Tuskegee's alumni. "We anticipate this being a fun and engaging way for all our alumni to give - especially those who have not donated to the university before," Floyd said. "As the percentage of alumni who give to Tuskegee increases, so do our standings in various national academic ranking programs that consider alumni giving as a part of their ranking formulas." For more information or to discuss other ways of making a gift to Tuskegee, contact the university's Office of Advancement and Development at 334-727-8540 or contributions@mytu.tuskegee.edu<mailto:contributions@mytu.tuskegee.edu>. SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org/ sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org%3cmailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org>> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/