The University of Mississippi reported on April 18 that its Giving Day 2026 event set a new participation record, with 3,223 gifts totaling $1,789,552 raised for university programs, scholarships, and student opportunities.
Giving Day spanned one day, eight hours and forty-eight minutes beginning at 9 a.m. on April 14 in recognition of the university’s founding year. Now in its seventh year, the annual tradition continues to grow as alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends contribute to support various campus initiatives.
Chancellor Glenn Boyce said: “Giving Day is always special because it reminds us of what can be achieved when the Ole Miss family comes together. Generosity is indeed a hallmark of our community, and we’ve demonstrated that again this year. The gifts made over the past two days will open doors and lift our students toward opportunities they may not have imagined for themselves. I am incredibly grateful for the thousands of donors who have shown up for our students and our university.”
Charlotte Parks, vice chancellor for development at Ole Miss, said: “The response to this year’s Giving Day reflects the extraordinary passion of the Ole Miss community. Setting a record for participation speaks to how our alumni, parents and friends care about our students and our future. Every challenge and gift will make a meaningful impact across campus.” Parks added: “We’re deeply grateful to everyone who showed up with such pride and generosity.”
The event featured a live webcast highlighting academic demonstrations and student stories about philanthropy’s impact at Ole Miss. Campus-wide competition saw every school participate; notably the School of Applied Sciences led all units with 446 donors—surpassing its previous high.
Major contributions included $250,000 from journalism alumna Ashley Anderson Mattei benefiting media programs; $500,000 from Oxford resident Lucy Banks establishing scholarships for children of first responders; and $250,000 from KPMG partners supporting construction projects.
Beloved traditions like the Squirrel Scavenger Hunt engaged participants through social media clues while raising funds via themed donations around campus landmarks.
Wendell Weakley, CEO of the UM Foundation said: “Our Ole Miss family never fails to help students excel. This support will pay exceptional dividends for the university for decades to come.”
