By Anna Beth Carter '16
Loose change, piggy banks, and committed students teamed up to donate nearly $300 to Catawba's capital campaign, " Our Catawba: The Forward Path." This fall, Catawba College students were given piggy banks and encouraged to fill them with loose or spare change in an effort to give back to their school.
Emphasis was placed on campus-wide participation to create a campus atmosphere of mindfulness and philanthropic giving.
During Homecoming week, thirty-two students, ranging from freshmen to seniors, contributed $298.97 to the campaign. Quovonta Burke '18 was the first student to return his collected funds. Top earners included Payden Mitchell '16 in 1st Place with $54.23, Micha Shapiro in 2nd Place with $22.56, and Nicholas Vasello in 3rd Place with $22.30. These students were awarded prizes in appreciation for their efforts. They will also be formally recognized at Catawba's Spring Awards Convocation in April. The students designated funds to support campus organizations including SGA, an organization that is the core of campus life, and Special Olympics, which has just introduced a new chapter at Catawba College.
Catawba College SGA Executive Vice President Blake Brewer '17, was excited to have such a positive start to this phase of the "Our Catawba: The Forward Path" campaign initiative. "Overall, I am very pleased with the involvement thus far, but it's only the beginning! Over the next couple of weeks, members of the Student Government Association will be continuing to work with the Development Office to help reach the ‘Our Catawba' Campaign goal of $60 million. We are confident that, moving forward, we can continue to utilize these banks to spur involvement from students and realize our college's long-term vision. Those who partake in this phase of the campaign will undoubtedly be working to build a stronger and brighter vision for the future. If we all work together, students can make the Forward Path one to both be proud of and to remember. Now is the time for all of us to lay the foundation for Catawbans to come."
Justin Burroughs, Catawba SGA Executive President, said "SGA is very appreciative to all of those who came and supported us at this campaign kickoff," he said. "It is important that we make an education at Catawba possible for future students since those before us made our education at Catawba possible."
