“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” This quote comes from the experienced writer and leader who led Britain to a victory in the Second World War, Winston Churchill. Giving is a vital act for humans to complete because it helps us understand the world from someone or something besides ourselves. Giving can allow us to understand a cause that is bigger than us which can open our mind up to different problems and opportunities in the world. Being a part of something bigger than yourself will improve you as a person and show others that you care about things that don’t only have to do with you.

FGCU celebrated FGCU Give Day 2024 on Wednesday, Mar. 27 from 12:00 p.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 28. The goal was to get donations back to FGCU by supporting the chosen passion you would like to donate to. With multiple options to invest in, FGCU made it easy to find exactly what you are looking to give back to. Anything from the Art Program to the FGCU Baseball team, the school provides plenty of different areas of interest.

I am a little biased because I go to FGCU, but if you know anything about the school you know that FGCU deserves every penny they are getting. From initiatives to integrate sustainability into their schools’ plan, to continuously bettering students’ lives by finding careers that take them places they have never been before; FGCU is a school that continues to improve and provide. Finding a university that constantly strives to refine its students and facilities is extremely important when picking a college for your next step of education.

In one of my final courses here, I was tasked with partnering up with a Non-Profit to help them achieve their goal in a more efficient way. I am working with Vince Modarelli of FGCU Give Day to achieve his goal of bringing in more donations to help the FGCU community. Modarelli’s goal was to bring in as many donations as he can, primarily from FGCU alumni, but he also mentioned how he wanted to target other popular audiences around the Fort Myers area. Vince was mostly looking for people with a disposable income and who have some sort of involvement with FGCU. 

Professional baseball player and FCGU alumnus, Chris Sale, donated one million dollars to FGCU athletics in December 2019. Donors like this are the people that Modarelli looks for. These moments exemplify how much the act of giving can do for Sale and FGCU. Both parties receive exposure from the press, Sale is portrayed as a generous person and the university now has the resources to upgrade its athletic program. Establishing connections like this and taking advantage of them are great examples of how two operations can work together in harmony.  I hope you took the opportunity to contribute to FGCU Give Day!