ECU set to celebrate ninth day of giving Wednesday
Students on the East Carolina University Club Volleyball team intend to compete in nationals this year in Phoenix, Arizona. They are counting on donations and bonus money earned during Pirate Nation Gives on March 5 to help make that dream come true.
ECU senior Will Lukas sets up Pirate Nation Gives signs on campus to prepare for the annual fundraiser. (ECU Photo by Randy Yiu)
The Club Sports Priority Fund in Campus Recreation & Wellness is one of more than 1,300 funds donors can support during the university’s ninth annual day of giving, a 24-hour online fundraising event that encourages alumni, friends, faculty, staff, parents and students to come together and help the university.
Last year’s event set a participation record with 2,800 donors raising more than $8.6 million. This year aims to build on participation and demonstrate the impact of donor support.
“Pirate Nation Gives is about everything ECU. Through giving back, every Pirate can be involved in the impact this university has on our students, our region and the world,” said Christopher Dyba, vice chancellor for University Advancement. “Every gift makes a difference for students, research, arts, health care, athletics and more; and combining one person’s philanthropy with that of others to create limitless possibilities.”
Priorities for this year’s Pirate Nation Gives includes programs that aim to increase student success, such as scholarships, experiential learning opportunities and study abroad programs; as well as initiatives in health care, athletics and student wellness. Donors can make gifts to any area they feel passionate about.
Impact Spike
Aurora Davis, a senior public health major and club volleyball president, is passionate about the impact of Pirate Nation Gives on her student experience and her volleyball team’s experience.
“PNG is making a huge difference and has assisted in allowing us to best represent our program and our school,” Davis said. “We participated in PNG last year and earned $3,000 from winning (challenges). We made the decision to use our earnings for getting brand new uniforms for the team. These new jerseys provide us with a more polished and formal collegiate appearance, which we will hopefully be able to wear for years to come.”
Justin Waters, senior assistant director of sport programs in Campus Recreation & Wellness, said funds raised during Pirate Nation Gives help ECU student athletes reach their goals to compete at a regional and national level.
“We aim to support as much as possible, but our 26 different clubs have a variety of needs,” Waters said.
In 2024, ECU club sports teams earned more than $10,000 in challenge and bonus funds by participating in Pirate Nation Gives.
“Last year we won $2,000 in the Student Pirate Challenge. This money was used to support our team during our travels to Martinsville, Virginia, for our regional tournament,” said Colton Rust, secretary for the club baseball team. “The club baseball team appreciates all the hard work that PNG does for us, and we plan on competing in the challenges this year to once again help pay for travel expenses for the post season. Although we came up short last year at the world series, we plan on making it there again this year but coming back with a trophy this time.”
Champions and Challenges
On and off campus, supporters can participate in the 24-hour fundraiser. Throughout Wednesday, leaderboards on the Pirate Nation Gives website will track support for areas of campus and encourage giving with a competitive spirit. Social media challenges will give participants the opportunity to win bonus money for their favorite ECU area or fund.
Champions of the university have answered the call by establishing numerous challenges for donors, which, when fulfilled, will unlock additional gifts supporting scholarships and programs across all disciplines. Details about each challenge and all the ways to participate are outlined in the Pirate Nation Gives blog.
A PeeDee squishy stuffed toy search and philanthropy honor cords for graduating Pirates are planned to boost involvement on campus. Students can participate in Pirate Nation Gives activities from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the main campus and medical campus student centers.
Donations can be made on the Pirate Nation Gives website or by calling 252-ECU-GIVE (252-328-4483).