On Sunday, February 20, 2011, a filled-to-capacity Bryce Jordan Center crowed erupted when the THON 2011 total was revealed: $9, 563,016.09. The Donor and Alumni Relations committee is responsible for maintaining and (hopefully) increasing this number every year by making sure all donors are individually thanked and have a positive experience when it comes to donating to THON.

For many years, the word “Alumni” was absent from the committee name; however, there has been a strong push over the past two years to reach out to alumni and utilize data to determine what groups of people to target with a focus on more effective and “smarter fundraising.”

DAR is led by its overall Anuj Upadhyay. It also consists of twenty-five other captains and approximately one hundred twenty committee members who work with different organizations to make sure everyone is fundraising correctly and efficiently throughout the THON fundraising season. One of DAR’s biggest responsibilities is having total control of THONvelopes from distribution to collecting and sorting them.

DAR initiates many projects throughout the year and can be spotted in their royal blue shirts THON Weekend giving tours of the Bryce Jordan Center to various groups along with holding receptions for donors. The goal is to further educate individuals about different aspects of THON in the hopes that donors will continue to give financial support each year, and a big part of building relationships with donors involves hand-written thank you notes that show just how much donations are appreciated.

The numbers and enthusiasm tell no lies. Donor and Alumni Relations continues to be a vital and successful component of THON.

For those who did not see our feature on the Donor and Alumni Relations Committee including a Committee of the Week video, it remains available, and more information can be found on THON’s official website. Stay tuned to Onward State for comprehensive coverage leading up to and through THON weekend.