The Mount St. Mary’s University community demonstrated its Mount pride during One Mount One Day, the university’s annual day of giving. This was the most successful day of giving to date. Nearly 1,000 donors gave more than $1 million to help further the mission of the Mount and create opportunities for students.
The fundraising event’s momentum was so strong that the university extended it for an additional 12 hours, with One Mount One Day starting at midnight on April 20 and ending at noon on April 21. As of April 25, 1,002 supporters of the university had donated $1,012,461. That number will rise as checks sent by mail are processed.
The Mount doubled its goal of raising $500,000 due in large part to giving day champion Raphael Della Ratta, C’92. His gift of $500,000 to the College of Liberal Arts celebrates his enduring commitment to the formation of Mount students through a strong core liberal arts curriculum. “Raphael has given of his time and treasure to his alma mater for many years, starting with service on the College of Liberal Arts Board of Advisors and now on the university Board of Trustees. He has given generously to endow the Ducharme Lecture and to renovate and expand the Knott Academic Center,” said Vice President for University Advancement Robert J. Brennan, C’85. “We are grateful for Raphael’s continuous support of Mount students and the liberal arts.”
Donors could support a variety of funds that best align with their interests. Challenges unlocked additional dollars. For example, President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D., and his wife Donna Brazil, Ph.D., challenged the Mount community to raise $10,000 for the Mount Annual Fund and then matched that amount. Nearly $90,000 was raised for the Annual Fund. Among the programs exceeding their goals were the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. Dean’s Fund for Excellence, the College of Liberal Arts, baseball, men’s cross country and track & field, women’s lacrosse, and men’s and women’s soccer.
Donors included alumni, the source of nearly half the gifts; parents; students; faculty, staff and administrators; and friends of the university. “One Mount One Day reminds us that by working together we can achieve greater and greater heights,” Brennan said. “The spirit of the Mount is that our goodness is the key to our greatness.”