Being a Hoosier is a Gift #thankstoIUdonors

Homecoming is a time of celebration for alumni and friends of Indiana University. It’s also a time of celebration for the university—an opportunity to salute our alumni and say thank you for your support.

Started in 2014, Thank a Donor Day is becoming a beloved part of IU’s Homecoming week traditions.

As the name clearly states, Thank a Donor Day is a day dedicated to saying thanks to those whose generosity helps make the IU experience possible. Students sign thank you cards, learn about the role of philanthropy at IU, and share words of gratitude on social media using the hashtag #thankstoIUdonors.

Countless faculty, students, programs, schools, and partners across campus get involved. In 2018, Thank a Donor Day was celebrated by the IU Student Foundation, Jacobs School of Music, Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, and the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, just to name a few.

Thank a Donor Day 2018 was also IU’s most festive celebration yet. The entire Bloomington campus was decked out in red (or should we say crimson?) ribbons and bows. These were affixed to buildings, tied around signs, posted outside rooms, and pinned on shirts to identify people, places, and opportunities at IU supported by philanthropy. Hundreds of signs noting facts about philanthropy at IU were also displayed across campus.

More than 100,000 alumni and friends donate to Indiana University each year, supporting thousands of causes across all of IU’s campuses. Specifically on the Bloomington campus, philanthropy is to thank for Showalter Fountain and the iconic Sample Gates. Donors support scholarships, study abroad programs, graduate fellowships, research funding, endowed chairs and professorships, arts and humanities—the list of all that’s made possible by philanthropy could go on and on.

For example, did you know that 69 percent of IU students receive financial aid to support their IU experience?

Did you know that IU Bloomington has more than 20 libraries?

Did you know that there are more than 12,000 trees on campus—many made possible by IU’s tree donor program?

And that’s just a snippet of all that’s made possible thanks to IU donors!

Of course, IU’s gratitude to donors doesn’t stop on Thank a Donor Day. Whether you’re a student, faculty or staff member, grateful patient, or community member, if your life has been enriched by Indiana University, we invite you to share your gratitude. Simply share a post in social media using the hashtag #thankstoIUdonors or complete this form on the IU Foundation website.

Get a feel for what Thank a Donor Day is all about with this quick recap video.