Lamar University invites community to support annual Red Day giving campaign

Lamar University (LU) will host the fifth annual Red Day virtual giving campaign on Sept. 18 and 19. The university will "Raise The RED" in celebration of this special fundraising event.

Red Day aims to inspire LU Cardinals, alumni and the community to come together to raise essential funds to support current and future students.

The promotion will run for 24 hours beginning at noon on Thursday, Sept. 18 and ending at noon on Friday, Sept. 19. Throughout the campaign, Lamar University, along with academic colleges and athletics, will share spotlights on social media to highlight the positive impact of donor support.

"Red Day has become an exciting and integral part of the culture of Lamar University that everyone looks forward to," Aron Arceneaux, LU annual giving officer said. "It is an opportunity not only to give back financially to LU, but to recognize the successes of our students and alumni - all while energizing our incredible Cardinal Nation."

Donors are encouraged to choose where their support is given - a favorite academic college, LU Athletics, or endowments such as the LU Forever Fund which supports the university's greatest needs. The Lamar University Foundation Board of Trustees will sponsor the "Red Day Top 3," where the respective colleges will compete to win cash prizes for the three academic colleges that exceed their own number of donors from last year by the highest percentage. Additional challenges and prizes will add to the overall excitement of the event as well.

In 2024, LU raised more than $160,000 through generous contributions from donors around the world. The goal of 500 donors last year was surpassed, ending with a record 574 donors. This year, the university plans to set the goal at 500 donors again.

"Most fundraising campaigns are focused on the dollars raised, but Red Day is different," Arceneaux said. "Our goal is to have as many individuals give back to Lamar University as possible, and we are confident that we will exceed our goal of 500 individual donors once again, so we encourage all alumni and friends of LU to participate."

The collective generosity of hundreds of donors provides real-world learning experiences, resources for urgent scholarship support, and new opportunities for Lamar University as a whole.

"No gift is too small - the important thing is that everyone who cares about LU takes just a couple of minutes to make a gift to an area of campus that is meaningful to them."

For additional information about LU Red Day, visit lamar.edu/redday.