Showing Appreciation

UMass Students holding signs thanking alumni and donors for supporting UMass

Amidst the red and orange of fall foliage, bright yellow signs or “tags” adorned walkways, buildings, and indoor spaces around campus, highlighting the many ways donor support is advancing UMass Amherst. Brainchild of the Student Alumni Association, the yellow tags were part of Talk About Giving (TAG) Days where students learned about the impact of philanthropy and showed appreciation for the university’s generous donors.

“We often discount the importance of donations as students, especially at a public school. Students often think that campus runs solely off our tuition and state funds, and this week helps emphasize how important these contributions really are to our campus and experience as students,” says Abby Lewis ’26.

Here are a few philanthropy facts from TAG Days:

  • The Student Care & Emergency Response Fund has raised more than $470,000 and helped over 350 students facing economic uncertainty

  • Thanks to dedicated donors, the Chemical Engineering Research & Innovation Base was outfitted with 24 computers, new furniture, whiteboards for small-group meetings, and an open area with a projector and screen for larger meetings

  • 58 donors came together to raise over $5,000 to send the UMass Dance Team to Nationals in Orlando, FL

  • Close to 4,000 gifts were made during UMassGives 2023 to 103 different student groups, totaling over $140,000

  • During the 2022-2023 academic year, over $8.4 million was awarded to students through 3,700 scholarships, with an average award of $2,300

In addition to over 120 tags posted across campus, the weeklong event included fun activities like a tag scavenger hunt, games, raffles, and most importantly—an opportunity to thank loyal UMass donors! “I learned that philanthropy is not only about million-dollar donations but that every gift counts. Small amounts can add up to a lot,” shared Tania Sequeira ’25.

Go UMass!