TAMIU ‘50 Hours for 50 Years’ Fundraising Campaign ‘Posts’ Way to Record Success
By using an innovative social media campaign that mobilized online relations of its students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the University, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) was able to ‘post’ its way with emails, shares, tweets and more to achieve a record fundraising goal.
“50 Hours for 50 Years,” launched on Monday, Nov. 18, 2019 as part of the University’s year-long 50thAnniversary observation. The goal was to have 500 donors participate and generate support for different areas on campus. That goal was exceeded, said TAMIU vice president for Institutional Advancement, Rosanne Palacios.
“We engaged 609 donors who have generated $47,931 in gifts to the University. Of these new donors, 30% are students who made an average gift of $6. Alumni made up 33% of our donors with an average gift of $45,” Palacios said.
Institutional Advancement partnered with the University’s Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services to deploy an online advocacy model that enabled students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the University to share a call for donations.
Those donations supported 84 different programs ranging from Leadership Programs to Dusty’s Food Pantry and Colleges/Schools to scholarships. Participants could post encouraging messages, videos, photos or emails across various social media platforms to their respective networks. Their friends or followers could then participate in the Campaign and even share messages of support or challenge to their own networks.
Palacios said the University’s use of social media enables it to directly reach University students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends.
“In the truest sense, we are reaching out to our University community and friends where they live: on digital platforms that they utilize and build community within. It’s a great way to share our campaign, update people on the University’s growth, our 50th Anniversary now underway, provide a chance to reconnect…or to connect for the first time,” Palacios said.
“We’re especially excited that so many students were part of this time-restricted campaign and have shown their support, alongside alumni, staff, faculty and other friends. It shows their commitment and passion for their University. People responded locally and globally, affirming the international nature of the University,” she noted.
Palacios said the University looks forward to additional opportunities to engage with the University’s growing community of partners.
“Throughout this 50th Anniversary year, we are celebrating the transformative impact this University has had. With the support provided by those who’ve responded to the ’50 Hours for 50 Years,’ campaign, we can ensure that our legacy of transformation continues forward.”
While the campaign has ended, donations can still be directed to: go.tamiu.edu/50for50 or can be arranged through the TAMIU Office for Institutional Advancement at 956.326.4483 or by email at gobeyond@tamiu.edu
TAMIU is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and its 25th Anniversary at its north Laredo campus throughout 2019-2020. A dedicated website shares the University’s transformation from a hybrid upper-level university to a full doctoral degree-granting University. It includes a calendar of Anniversary events and more at tamiu.edu/50.
For more on the University’s story, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu, click on tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.
