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������Ƶ Giving Day invites community to come together on April 8 to support students and programs

VIDEO NEWS RELEASE

Supporters and members of the ������Ƶ ‘ohana will once again be waving signs.

������Ƶ President Wendy Hensel helped draw attention to last year's ������Ƶ Giving Day.

Link to b-roll of ������Ƶ Giving Day 2025 signwaving: 

������Ƶ Foundation is calling on alumni, friends and community members to participate in ������Ƶ Giving Day on April 8, a 24-hour effort to support students and research across the 10-campus system.

Gifts of any size will directly remove financial barriers for students, expand hands-on learning and advance research addressing Hawaiʻi’s most pressing needs, from healthcare and education to environmental stewardship.

“Philanthropy offers critical support for our students, faculty and staff, and assists ������Ƶ in serving communities across our state,” said ������Ƶ President Wendy Hensel. “Giving Day highlights the vital role our supporters play in expanding opportunity and sustaining the university’s mission.”

To further increase that impact, President Hensel has personally created a special system-wide challenge: when 1,500 donors make a contribution to any project across the 10 campuses, her $15,000 challenge gift will be unlocked to directly benefit the fund. Donors can also take advantage of other matching gifts applied to hundreds of specific campus initiatives.

Throughout the event, ������Ƶ Foundation will share real-time progress, campus updates and student stories across its social media platforms with the hashtag #4������ƵGiving Day.

“Giving Day is about coming together as a ������Ƶ ‘ohana to invest in the people and programs that matter most,” said Tim Dolan, ������Ƶ Foundation CEO and VP of Advancement for ������Ƶ. “When our community unites around a shared purpose, the collective impact of every gift—no matter the size—is amplified.”

To learn more or to participate on April 8, .

More ������Ƶ Giving Day 2026 details:

What: ������Ƶ Foundation, ������Ƶ students, student-athletes and members of the ������Ƶ Band and Cheer, and ������Ƶ staff  will be waving signs to draw awareness and support for , a 24-hour fundraising event uniting alumni, donors and the community to support students, research and programs across ������Ƶ’s 10 campuses.

There are many programs and student support funds being featured this Giving Day. This includes the relief funds that will help our ������Ƶ students, faculty and staff impacted by the historic flooding who are facing urgent financial and housing challenges.

When: Wednesday, April 8, from 7 to 8 a.m.

Where: ������Ƶ Mānoa’s John Henry Wise Field, on the corner University Ave. and Dole St.

Why: ������Ƶ Giving Day is an opportunity for the community to make a lasting impact by contributing gifts of any size to initiatives that advance education, innovation, and student success in Hawai‘i. Last year, more than 1,800 gifts totaled over $800,000 in support of ������Ƶ programs statewide.

Media Opportunities:

• Sign waving by ������Ƶ students and staff
• Interviews with ������Ƶ leadership, faculty and students.
• Real-time updates on donation milestones and impact stories.
• Giving Day tables will also be set up at all 10 campuses across the state, allowing students to write a mahalo postcard to donors and share their stories.
• Visuals and social-friendly moments for #4������ƵGivingDay

FOR ������Ƶ • FOR HAWAIʻI, the Campaign for the University of Hawaiʻi, is focused on raising funds to support ������Ƶ priorities on all 10 campuses across the state: student success; research that matters; kuleana to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi; sustainability, resilience and conservation; innovation and entrepreneurship; building Hawaiʻi’s workforce; and engaging our community. Learn more at .