Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University's Give to Blue Day will take place on March 16 and the campus community, along with many ISU supporters in the Wabash Valley, are gearing up for this annual day of giving.

Events are being planned on campus to build excitement and inspire donations for ISU. Local businesses, many of which are owned by alumni, are celebrating Give to Blue Day by giving a portion of their sales to ISU, hosting special events or helping to spread the word. They include:

• Federal Coffee and Fine Foods will sell limited edition Indiana State University mugs featuring the art of ISU art student Katherine Bierly. Specialty drinks will be available for purchase throughout the day.

• WaterTower Estates will host a happy hour event from 4 to 6 p.m. and offer a special Sycamore Sam-gria cocktail; a March On! Moscato; and a custom-designed wine glass.

• Culvers will have a lunch and dinner promotion with a special "Blue" Sycamore-themed shakes and sundaes.

More than a dozen partners will make special lunch and dinner promotions available. Visit indstate.edu/GiveToBlue for the full list of participating businesses.

"We are so energized by generous and loyal Sycamores coming together on Give to Blue Day to make an impact on the future of Indiana State University," said ISU President Deborah J. Curtis. "Our donors can choose among many programs to direct their gifts, all of which create opportunities for our students."

The donor goal for ISU's fourth annual giving day is 2,700. Last year, 2,620 donors raised $1,022,945 for the university during the 24-hour period.

"The ISU community was inspired and thankful for the generous support from donors during last year's Give to Blue Day," said Sam Bowen, junior finance major and student philanthropy president. "As we approach March 16, we are excited and ready to rally together with our Sycamore family to raise funds that will have an impact on our campus for years to come."

ISU will use a new web-hosting provider for its Give to Blue Day webpage to give alumni and donors an enhanced user experience. Also new this year is the ability to make gifts using Venmo, Apple Pay, and PayPal. Donors will have opportunity to designate their gifts for specific funding priorities on campus.

"Give to Blue Day is an inspiring and spirited day for our university and entire community," said Andrea Angel, vice president of University Advancement and CEO of the ISU Foundation. "This important day rallies Sycamores everywhere to give to Indiana State, boldly impacting our students through support for scholarships, programs and initiatives that directly impact their success."

"Our goal is to continue to build upon the momentum for Give to Blue Day by inspiring even more alumni, students, fans, and friends to give to the initiatives that matter most to them. Join us on March 16 by giving to Indiana State on our website, supporting our community partners, and sharing your Sycamore pride on social media."

While Give to Blue Day is digitally driven, donors can make their gifts in person by visiting The ISU Foundation, located at 30 North 5th Street, and Dede I in the Hulman Memorial Student Union on Indiana State University's campus. Advancement staff will be in Dede I until midnight on Give to Blue Day. Call 812-237-6100 for more information or visit indstate.edu/GiveToBlue.