Ilitch School raises record $201,000 on Giving Day
Wayne State University hosted its fourth annual Giving Day celebration on September 17 after rescheduling from its customary April date. The Mike Ilitch School of Business raised $201,000 during the 24-hour campaign, an all-time record for the school and an astonishing 355 percent increase over 2019. Donations were anchored by a generous commitment of $150,000 by Matt and Mona Simoncini, which was meant to challenge and inspire other alumni and friends to participate in Giving Day.
While gifts and commitments were earmarked for a variety of projects, the Ilitch School highlighted specific challenges related to the Alumni Council Student Experience Fund, supply chain study abroad programs, career-development initiatives in marketing and advertising, and a school-wide Student Hardship Fund that provides emergency financial assistance to students who are unable to meet immediate, essential expenses because of an unexpected hardship.
“Giving Day is an important opportunity to engage and support amazing projects and programs at the Mike Ilitch School of Business and across the university,” said Ilitch School Alumni and Donor Relations Officer Vanessa Miller. “We are so grateful for alumni, like Matt Simoncini, who give back and work to inspire others to join them. This foundational gift for Giving Day is just one example of the impact the Simoncinis have made on the Ilitch School and its students. It exemplifies the spirit of Giving Day and helped us deliver record-breaking numbers for the fourth year in a row.”
The Ilitch School received gifts from 126 donors this year, up from 100 donors in 2019. Overall, the university raised $720,000 from 1,500 unique donors.
