On Tuesday, April 10, EMU kicked off their second annual LovEMU event. LovEMU is a day of celebration and giving, reflecting on what makes EMU special to those who have felt its impact. The 24-hour giving event concluded successfully with an $11,000 increase from last year, receiving nearly $118,000.
This year marked LovEMU’s second go-around. The day of giving, a collaborative project between the Development Office and Alumni Office, began partially out of what the two were hearing from alumni. “We hear alumni talking all the time about how they have loved their experience. …We wanted to really honor … and respect that,” said Associate Director of Development Braydon Hoover.
Much of the event focuses is on the giving atmosphere, turning to people connected to EMU and seeking donations or support. LovEMU brings in more individual gifts than any other time during the year. Throughout the 24-hour period, EMU reaches out to alumni, faculty, staff and students, inviting them all to engage in a variety of ways.
LovEMU’s emphasis is not on giving a lot, but giving what you can, whether through a small donation or encouraging others to give. Students had the choice to contact three people in return for the choices of a t-shirt, donut, or taco, and a vote towards the Athletic, Undergrad, or Department competitions.
When contacting alumni, Hoover emphasized that they want to listen to how they have felt EMU’s impact. Alumni are not pressured into giving large amounts, but rather whatever they can. “Days like this allow people who feel that way to give whatever amount they want to make EMU more affordable,” Hoover said.
The primary goal is student-based. Four of the six donation options were directed to the University Fund, Seminary Annual Fund, CJP Annual Fund, and Athletics Annual Fund. These funds are mainly directed towards scholarships or making the school more affordable for students.
As tuition rates rise across the country, more and more schools and students rely on help from scholarships. Since LovEMU was cultivated out of alumni’s nostalgia towards their EMU experience, this gives them the option to help others find that same affinity towards the university.
Donors also had the choice to give towards the Lancaster campus or under the category of “Other.” Many who chose “Other” chose to have their money directed towards a specific scholarship, athletic club on campus, or capital project, like the current remodeling of the Suter Science Center.
Last year, much of the event was held in the Development Office, which detached the event from the community. “We wanted this year to be completely visible, which is why we moved down here into the Martin Greeting Hall,” Hoover said. To create a more celebratory feel, LovEMU’s headquarters were brought to the Martin Greeting Hall as well as a temporary location outside of Northlawn. Games of cornhole and KanJam were set up and a local food truck was parked outside of the Campus Center.
Campus-wide engagement was also encouraged through the Undergraduate, Athletics, and Department leaderboards. Donors or students who contacted three people were able to vote for an athletics team, a university department, or a specific class. When the 24-hour event concluded, the one with the most votes in their specific category would win $500.
All three categories had tight races between first and second place. The First-Year class won the Undergrad category by eight votes, the Business & Economics department won their category by two, and the Women’s Volleyball team edged out Field Hockey in the Athletics Leaderboard by four votes. The Athletics Leaderboard came down to the wire in some friendly but intense competition between the two. When asked what the win meant for the volleyball team, first-year Amy Goodman responded, “That we beat field hockey.”
