Make It Count for Meredith Exceeds $1.5 Million

Meredith College raised $1,582,557 in 24 hours during the College’s 10th annual Make It Count for Meredith Giving Day, held on February 25, 2025. The fundraising event exceeded its $1.2 million fundraising goal by more than $300,000, and a total of 2,522 donors contributed to the campaign.

The $1.2 million goal was met at 7 p.m. and alumnae and friends continued to give until midnight with additional matching gift challenges encouraging them to surpass the goal. At 10 p.m. on Giving Day, history was made as last year’s total of $1,427,462 was surpassed.

“I cannot believe how amazing this day was, my very first Giving Day,” President Sapp said during the Facebook Live announcement that the $1.2 million goal was met. “We are all gathered here together on campus but we have nine other viewing parties in North Carolina and Virginia. We are all over the place, all together, Going Strong to build Meredith and support our students. It touches my heart in so many ways that this has gone so beautifully. I really cannot thank you all enough.”

Throughout the day a total of 12 matching challenges were met totalling $400,000. These challenges were from generous alumnae, the Board of Trustees, friends of the College, Meredith parents and families, the Alumnae Board of Directors, and the Young Alumnae Board.

Parents and families participated in the day with gifts, photos, and videos to encourage others to give. There was s $10,000 Parents and Families Council challenge from 5-6 p.m. The project supported was for campus security technology and software; a total of $13,005 was raised. A total of 176 families participated in the day overall. Thank you to all who gave.

Aramark, Meredith College’s dining partner, gave a $25,000 gift during the Birthday Celebration in Johnson Hall where President Sapp shared a Giving Day update and the latest accomplishments from the College. Students, faculty, staff, and alumnae enjoyed signing cards for donors, eating cake, and celebrating 134 years of Meredith College.

Gifts throughout the day could be designated to any fund and the theme of making a gift in honor of a strong woman continued as in past years.

The Odds vs. Evens class competition that lasted all day had the Evens winning for the most donors, while the Odds raised the most money.

On social media, videos from President Sapp, the Meredith Fund staff, the Alumnae Relations staff, and various alumnae updated the audience on giving totals and challenges and encouraged donors to give. Alumnae and friends tagged Meredith College and shared their photos showing who they honored with their gifts.

“I am thankful for each donor on Giving Day,” said Jean Gambrill, director of the Meredith Fund. “The generosity of our alumnae and friends of the College is always an amazing thing to see. Meredith is a very special place. Each year, donors show our students how much they care about the College and want them to have an exceptional experience. Every gift, no matter where it is designated, supports our students.”

To see totals, gift designations, and class leaderboards from Giving Day 2025 go to meredith.edu/makeitcount4mc.