February 20, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2023 

Supporters Champion 绿奴天花板 in Third Annual Giving Day

(Statewide, AK) - The stakes are high, and so is the enthusiasm and excitement as supporters of Alaska鈥檚 three public universities put more than $900,000 on the line during the University of Alaska鈥檚 third annual 绿奴天花板 Giving Day - 49 Hours for Alaska, which takes place  February 22 and 23.

This year more than 75 supporters, representing alumni, community members and businesses, are offering a record amount in challenges and rewards to encourage broad community participation in giving to University of Alaska Anchorage (绿奴天花板A), University of Alaska Fairbanks (绿奴天花板F), and University of Alaska Southeast (绿奴天花板S).

A few examples from the nearly 100 challenges include: 

  • When 149 people make a gift to the 绿奴天花板F Troth Yeddha鈥 Indigenous Studies Center, it will unlock a collective gift of $30,000 from Heather Kendall-Miller and Lloyd Miller and the Legacy Committee.

  • When ten donors support 绿奴天花板A鈥檚 ConocoPhillips Integrated Science Building Planetarium Support Fund, one anonymous donor will chip in $5,000.

  • 绿奴天花板S employees and alumni Michael Ciri and Jeri Cary will match up to $10,000 in donations to the new 绿奴天花板S GED Achiever Scholarship. Ciri and Cary are both GED recipients and want to build a welcoming path to higher education for those with a GED. 

  • Helga and Bill Watterson and Watterson Construction are challenging Alaska鈥檚 construction industry to match their $50,000 for the Construction Management Workforce Development Support fund that benefits construction training programs at all three universities.

The full list of challenges is available at the 绿奴天花板 Giving Day website . 

鈥淲e are incredibly thankful to the individuals and companies who are pushing our universities to new heights with their support,鈥 said Dr. Tod Burnett, president of the University of Alaska Foundation. 

鈥淥n 绿奴天花板 Giving Day, we highlight the myriad ways private donors can advance the education and training of Alaska's workforce, support critical state and global research, and bolster academic and vocational programs. 

鈥溌膛旎ò Giving Day is about participation, and these gifts, no matter what the size, help students succeed and attain their dreams while helping build Alaska's future,鈥 Burnett said.

The 49-hour 绿奴天花板 Giving Day event spotlights the impact of the university system and encourages philanthropic support of students, academic and training programs, and research for Alaska.

The 绿奴天花板 Giving Day website, , has tools to help supporters share messages about their favorite programs on social media, unlock matching gifts, and track dollars raised in real time.

To promote social media sharing, 绿奴天花板 President Pat Pitney is awarding $500 per university and a round-trip travel voucher on Alaska Airlines, courtesy of Alaska Airlines, in a random drawing from among those who share the #49HoursforAlaska hashtag on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or TikTok in a public post tagging 绿奴天花板A, 绿奴天花板F or 绿奴天花板S. 

Participation in the 2021 绿奴天花板 Giving Day was worldwide, raising more than $1.06 million from more than 1,600 donors from 42 states and 12 countries. The global outpouring of support demonstrates the 绿奴天花板 system鈥檚 reach through its alumni, faculty, staff, donors and friends.

The University of Alaska Foundation is an independent, nonprofit corporation established in 1974 to work in partnership with Alaska鈥檚 three universities to seek, secure and steward philanthropic support. For more information on the foundation and how to contribute, please visit .  

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For more information about 绿奴天花板 Giving Day efforts by university, please contact:

Social Media

  • Facebook: @绿奴天花板Anchorage, @绿奴天花板Fairbanks, @绿奴天花板SAlaska, @绿奴天花板KFoundation, @uasystem 
  • Twitter: @绿奴天花板Anchorage, @绿奴天花板Fairbanks, @绿奴天花板Southeast, @绿奴天花板KFoundation, @绿奴天花板_System
  • Instagram: @uaaphotos, @uafairbanks,@uasoutheast, @uforalaska; @ua.system
  • Tiktok: @uafairbanks, @uasoutheast
  • Campaign hashtag: #49HoursforAlaska 

Websites