UNI CATS to kick off “Giving Week” with Field of Flags event

  • Last year during the Field of Flags event, UNI CATS planted 469 flags, each one representing 20 of the prior year’s 9,379 donors.

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  • Alumni, friends, students and more are invited to give back to the university during Live Purple Give Gold on March 30 and to participate in “Giving Week” activities which will take place the final week of March.

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ERIN MCRAE, Staff Writer
Mar 19, 2023

Connecting Alumni to Students (CATS) is planning a celebration for the final week of March called “Giving Week.” This week is a celebration of donors’ contributions to bettering the University. One of the main events taking place during this week is the Field of Flags, a visual representation of UNI’s donors. 

Sarah Craw is the Student and Young Alumni Engagement Coordinator, and the Advisor for CATS. “In planning the first Giving Week last year, members of the CATS Philanthropy Committee wanted to find a way to educate students about the UNI Foundation and philanthropy at UNI. They determined that a field of flags would catch students’ attention on their way to class, providing an opportunity for CATS to share more information about how and why members of the Panther community give to UNI,” Craw said. 

Each flag will represent 20 donors, and the color of each flag will correspond to the type of donor (alumni, friend, student, etc.). 

For students interested, Craw said the display will be easy to find. “Stop by the Commons Plaza on Monday, March 27 to see Field of Flags and learn more about giving to UNI,” Craw said. “Students are encouraged to participate in Live Purple Give Gold on Thursday, March 30 by making a gift of any size to an area of campus that is meaningful to them. Whether students give to their college, the Panther Pantry, the Campanile renovation or the Student Emergency (to name a few options), they help shape the tomorrow UNI needs.”

Field of Flags is one of many events that will take place during giving week, students have multiple opportunities to get involved. “This event kicks off a week of education and involvement opportunities. CATS hopes that the events help spark interest in student giving to help reach the Live Purple Give Gold student donor goal of 100 on our way to 1,330 total donors in 24 hours,” Craw said.

 “The funds raised during Live Purple Give Gold help support so many impactful areas of campus and make the UNI experience what it is.”

CATS will have a social media giveaway on Wednesday and free Chick-fil-a outside the commons on Thursday while supplies last from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

For more information, visit https://alumni.uni.edu/giving-week.