KEARNEY, Neb. (Press Release) – Loper Nation came together in a big way at One Day for UNK 2024.

A record 2,029 donations were received from 1,358 donors, raising $289,568 to create a brighter future for the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The fourth annual giving day took place from Wednesday noon to Thursday noon. Giveaways were completed online for a period of 24 hours at giveday.unk.edu.

“One Day for UNK powerfully demonstrates the generosity of our UNK community,” said Interim Chancellor Charlie Bicak. “Every gift has a lasting impact, directly supporting our students and strengthening UNK.” We are grateful for this tremendous support from alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students.

The number of gifts and donors, as well as the amount raised, all set new records. Donations were received from 40 states and six countries to support the university. More than 200 UNK faculty and staff donated, also setting a record. Alumni and donors have donated more than $153,000 in challenge funds and matching funds to encourage others to give.

One Day for UNK sparked excitement across campus. The day of giving raised funds to support the university’s priorities, including Loper students, scholarships, Loper Athletics, UNK’s three colleges, the library and the 86 student organizations, fraternities and sororities who participated.

THE Japanese Association in Kearney (JAK) is one such student organization. In its 23rd year, JAK supports the university’s more than 100 Japanese international students while educating the Kearney community about Japanese culture.

“Nebraska is thousands of miles from home, so some students may feel isolated,” said JAK advisor Ryo Suzuki. “We are organized so that our students always have someone to talk to. We always put the experience and knowledge of all our students into the organization so that it can be shared.

Another student organization participating in One Day for UNK is the Medical chapter on VAW. The organization is made up of students who are committed to addressing health disparities in developing countries.

Chapter fundraising chair Isabel Zaruba said the VAW medical chapter will use funds raised during One Day for UNK to help support an upcoming trip to Guatemala, where students will work in health clinics mobile and will give education courses.

Zaruba, a freshman from Columbus, Nebraska, is participating in UNK’s pre-med program through the Kearney Health Opportunities program, which recruits and trains students from rural Nebraska who commit to practicing in these communities as health professionals. She also received a scholarship to fund her undergraduate studies.

She had a message for donors:

“I would like to express my gratitude,” Zaruba said. “It’s such a generous thing to do – to give to help students you don’t even know.” »

Clarisa Lopez Chojolan, a UNK student majoring in criminal justice, also benefited from a scholarship. The first-generation student from Grand Island said that thanks to donor support, she can focus on her studies without the added financial stress that comes with college life.

“This scholarship has helped not only me, but also my family,” she said. “This financial support has helped me pursue my dreams and I am truly grateful. »

Donations made during One Day for UNK supported Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, which aims to raise $3 billion from 150,000 unique benefactors to support the University of Nebraska. More information is at Only in Nebraska.org.

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