缅北禁地

The Opportunities, resources and support systems that help our Tigers thrive at TU and beyond are possible in large part through TU鈥檚 Big Give. The seventh-annual Big Give is a university-wide, 24-hour, online fundraising challenge to strengthen areas of TU that mean the most to you.

鈥淭U鈥檚 future is yours to shape,鈥� says Kristen McCurdy, director of annual giving in TU's Division of University Advancement. 鈥淏ig Give is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the impactful scholarships, academic and athletic programs, colleges, emergency funds and more that shape our Tigers鈥� success.鈥�

A huge percentage of students鈥� experiences at TU are supported by donor dollars. Hear how donor support has shaped TU over the years.

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Supporting Basic Needs

Once a filing cabinet filled with food items, the Basic Needs Hub now lives next to Residence Tower and connects the TU community to critical resources that support basic needs security including food, housing, clothing and access to academic tools.

The Hub's Foodshare and Tiger Threads programs allow students to access food, personal care items, clothing and more for free. Through donor funds, the hub partnered with the Maryland Food Bank and now offers perishable items and fresh fruits and vegetables. Students can also access three smaller food pantries across campus, and new food lockers within West Village, the Academic Commons and the 缅北禁地 Center.

In collaboration with the Department of Family Studies & Community Development, the Hub now provides peer-to-peer SNAP application assistance, where students receive practical work experience and training to provide space for outreach and advocacy related to SNAP benefits.

As the Hub grows, staff members hope to expand their services to include free assistance with transportation; housing and child care; prescription drugs; and financial, culinary and literacy courses to the TU community.

鈥淭he Hub truly operates because of the incredible generosity of our campus and local community. Without donations, we wouldn鈥檛 have the resources to provide essential services to students and community members in need. Our community donors are true heroes, as their support powers the Hub and allows us to keep helping those who need it most!鈥�

Faith Borras, coordinator of the Basic Needs Hub

 

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Providing comfort across campus

The 2023 Big Give enabled TU to have its first resident comfort dog, Bruno, and he鈥檚 been thriving since he got here. Bruno provides emotional support and companionship as part of TU鈥檚 community policing approach. He lives and works alongside TUPD Sgt. Jafar Taru, offering a comforting presence at building walk-throughs and calls for service.

The Canine Comfort Companion program was made possible through a key gift from the DeFilippis family, and any future donations to the fund will pay for Bruno's food, training and health expenses

鈥淔rom the day Bruno joined our team, his infectious personality has expanded our community policing opportunities in our community. I am grateful for all the donors that helped make Bruno happen for our community, including the DeFilippis family, longtime supporters of our public safety efforts.鈥�

Chief Charles Herring, TUPD

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Supporting academic and athletics success

Conor Spagnolli's love for lacrosse brought him to TU, but alumni and staff support for athletics and academia has helped him thrive.

Spagnolli鈥檚 determination on and off the field rewarded him with an increase in his athletic scholarship and a nomination to represent his team on the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Council. Spagnolli capped off his student-athlete experience taking home the 2024 CAA Men鈥檚 Lacrosse Championship with his team.

With support from faculty in the College of Business & Economics, course advising through athletics and the willingness of fellow men鈥檚 lacrosse team alumni to support his professional goals, Spagnolli has felt uplifted from all areas of campus. He credits the kindness of upperclassmen and lacrosse alumni with supporting his internship search and helping him build connections in the Baltimore area.

In the top 10% of his class, Spagnolli was named one of CBE鈥檚 Outstanding Graduates. As he prepares to graduate in spring 2025, he鈥檚 found that the abundant guidance, goodwill and trust from his team, coaches and advisers profoundly shaped his experience at TU.

鈥淢y experience here has been unforgettable. Everyone is so tight knit and willing to help. They realize the sacrifices we鈥檝e made to be student-athletes. [Upperclassmen and alumni support] speaks to all sports at TU. The energy I put in and the sacrifices I鈥檝e made on and off the field have paid off on both ends. I wouldn鈥檛 trade it for the world.鈥�

Conor Spagnolli, senior in the College of Business & Economics

 

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Unearthing 缅北禁地's History

The Unearthing 缅北禁地鈥檚 History Project is an interdisciplinary collaborative effort that centers students as researchers and interpreters. Because of donor support, students have the chance to do more than study history 鈥� they connect it to their own TU experience.

The project connects alumni and the wider community to the TU through shared knowledge and history. Reading research someone else has done gives students an opportunity to reflect on their own lives and world around them and enables students to gain applicable research skills, including framing questions, guiding interviews and first-hand experience with primary resources.

鈥淭he Unearthing TU program gives students the opportunity to engage in hands-on historical research together with expert mentorship to develop critical research skills while uncovering hidden stories and untold narratives. The research students conduct connects them to alumni and former faculty and staff and enables them to better understand how they fit as students into our larger University community."

Christian Koot, department of history chair and professor