Hundreds of CEU alumni from around the world raised nearly $60,000 last month in support of the university’s future students via the CEU 30 for 30 Alumni Matching Gift Challenge.
Prompted by a EUR 30,000 gift by alumnus Vladislav Shayman (LEGS ’06, EMBA ’14, Russia) the challenge was a means for of celebrating CEU’s 30th anniversary and helping it transition to a new chapter in Vienna.
Throughout December, spurred by Vladislav’s matching gift, 208 alumni contributed more than $28,000 towards the challenge. Then, days before the December 31 deadline, an anonymous donor contributed an additional $30,000 to the challenge, bringing the total to $59,452 – just shy of the challenge’s 60K goal.
The challenge results bring the total of alumni giving to CEU in 2021 to more than $132,150. Since the Alumni Campaign was established, in 2001, thousands of alumni have raised more than $1.63 million in support of CEU.
At a glance: Challenge stats
Last month’s challenge was underscored by CEU’s anniversary, the amount of Vladislav’s matching gift, and the fact that 30 Alumni Scholarship Recipients – one for every year of the university’s existence – are studying at CEU this academic year.
The campaign was a chance for donors to help support students like these, but more broadly speaking, to help CEU transition to a new chapter -and new permanent home – in Vienna.
Hundreds of alumni, some recalling how financial aid helped them obtain a CEU education, responded. Previous donors were particularly active in the challenge; more than one third of challenge donors are members of the CEU Loyalty Society donors who have given to the university for three consecutive years or more.
“Without the CEU scholarship that I received when I was a student, I wouldn't be where I am today,” wrote Melissa Bandi (HIST ’04), a Loyalty Society member.
HUGE THANKS to everyone who joined last month's challenge and made a difference for our alma mater!