On March 11, the McGill community celebrated McGill24, the University’s annual day of giving. McGillians at home and abroad came together to support their favourite causes – and in doing so, they made magic happen for students across our campuses.
With 6,505 gifts from donors totalling $5,401,613, the day-long fundraiser showed the power that collective giving has on student success, research, and faculty initiatives.
First launched in 2016, McGill24 is an online fundraiser for projects across campus, including student research and faculty initiatives. This year, generous donors contributed to nearly 90 projects on the McGill Crowdfunding platform, helping different groups to achieve their short-term and long-term goals. The projects spanned faculties and units, and included student-led groups representing Martlets hockey, the Student Wellness Hub, the Maude Abbott Medical Museum, McGill Robotics, the McGill Savoy Society and many more.
“For 11 years, this day of giving has united our global community of alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends in a show of support for the McGill causes that matter to us all,” says Marc Weinstein, Vice-President, University Advancement. “This year’s tagline, ‘Spread the McGill24 magic,’ reflects the feelings of joy and happiness that come from doing good. I am especially grateful for the work and commitment of our students, volunteers and alumni who have done just that for this year’s global fundraiser. Their efforts are what make McGill24 a success each year. A big thank you to all!”
Many McGill24 projects have real-world impact, supporting student learning opportunities outside the classroom and directly serving communities at large. This year’s campaign was all about spreading joy and happiness, and every gift – big or small – helped to spread the McGill24 magic.
Each year, McGill24 highlights the extraordinary dedication of our global community,” says Deep Saini, President and Vice-Chancellor.
“The remarkable support we have seen reflects a profound belief in McGill’s mission: advancing knowledge, fostering innovation and preparing the next generation of leaders. We are very grateful for this continued investment in our shared future and the confidence that so many place in our University.”
While most of McGill24 took place online, alumni associations around the world hosted in-person events in support of the campaign. For the second year in a row, McGill hosted a crowdfunding pitch competition, where five student teams had five minutes to share their projects and goals to win extra funds. The Redbirds football team took the top prize of $500.
Visit the McGill24 website to learn more about this year’s campaign and achievements, from faculty challenges to student crowdfunding initiatives.