Despite another challenging year around the world, alumni giving in support of CEU increased in 2021. Throughout the year, donors raised a total of $137,292 – a 17.5% increase over the previous year.
Bolstered by a successful year-end matching gift challenge, the total raised by alumni donors in 2021 brings the all-time contribution to the CEU Alumni Campaign to more than $1.63 million. See full stats.
In total, 387 alumni from 48 countries gave to the campaign in 2021, with donors from Russia, Ukraine and Hungary, respectively, contributing the largest amount.
In terms of departmental affiliation, alumni from Legal Studies, Economics and International Relations were the most generous, while the former two plus Political Science were most active.
Contributions to the campaign’s scholarship and departmental aid funds increased in 2021, while gifts to the unrestricted funds decreased from the previous year.
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The campaign closed strong when donors gave nearly $60,000 in December alone after alumnus and donor Vladislav Shayman (LEGS ’06, EMBA ’14, Russia) urged them to join the monthlong CEU 30 for 30 Alumni Matching Gift Challenge.
Bolstered in its final days by an anonymous $30,000 gift, the 30 for 30 challenge was the most successful matching gift drive, in terms of alumni giving, in Alumni Campaign history.(Donors raised 37% percent than the previous year alone.) However, number of donors held steady from the previous year.
The CEU Alumni Campaign was established 20 years ago, initially to provide alumni-supported scholarships to students. Since then, 3240 alumni have given to the campaign, which has awarded scholarships to 296 students in the past two decades.
The campaign’s next stage will seek to increase alumni participation and reach the $2 million mark by the end of 2023.
Sincere thanks to each and every CEU alumni donor!