Rising to the Challenge of COVID-19
With the COVID-19 pandemic creating unimaginable circumstances for many of students, faculty and programs, FY20 and FY21 donors provided support and encouragement to help our Blue Hen family grow, thrive and overcome unforeseen obstacles.
• Blue Hen Strong Fund
• Giving in Challenging Times
• Athletics: Staying in the Game
• Virtual Engagement
In May 2020, the University created the Blue Hen Strong Fund as part of Delaware First to address the unforeseen financial burdens of students during the coronavirus pandemic. And Blue Hens from around the world came together to support the fund and our students with 6,690 contributing more than $831,000 to date.
Since its launch, the Blue Hen Strong Fund has helped students with:
safe housing
tuition support
advanced technology for online learning
career readiness opportunities
a laptop loaner program
mentoring opportunities through the Center for Black Culture’s Each One Reach One Mentoring Program
critical professional experiences through the Career Center’s Student Internship Grant program
Blue Hen Strong Fund Impact: Sharon Kung, AS22: youtube.com/watch?v=lxJdHqgVbAU
As a result of this success and impact, The Blue Hen Strong Fund will live on in perpetuity as the University makes it a central, ongoing fund for donors to support the greatest, most timely needs of UD students throughout the year.
| VOICES OF PHILANTHROPY: FOLLOWING A PASSION
“I think it’s really important that we show that you can attend and stay at UD once accepted. For students, the world is their oyster and there’s nothing that they can’t do at UD—there are professors that can help them, freshman who can learn from seniors and seniors who can reach out to freshman to help them through the process. It’s important for accepted students to succeed and graduate, no matter the situation, and the Blue Hen Strong Fund helps get them on their way.”
–Ray Jacobsen, AS71
Blue Hen Strong Fund supporter
As fall sports shifted to spring schedules in the 2020-2021 academic year, generous donors still showed their support for UD student-athletes who continued to train, work hard and prepare for when competition resumed.
UD sports enthusiasts continued to support Blue Hens by participating in a Virtual Stadium Sell-out, where fans bought 8,800 “seats” in the stadium. Each virtual seat contribution went to the Blue & Gold Fund, which was created to ensure the more than 600 UD student-athletes still had the necessary resources to excel in academics, training and life after UD.
Blue & Gold Fund ǀ 756 donors ǀ $210,469 as of the end of FY21
“Being a student-athlete at the University of Delaware had a huge impact on my experience and my growth as an individual. I learned essential life traits such as organization, time management and understanding that I am representing something more than myself every time I take the field or take a test. Having the privilege of being a UD student-athlete is an opportunity nobody should ever pass up on.”
–Charlie Kitchen, HS21
Men’s Lacrosse
Over the past two years, Blue Hens came together online. New digital resources and virtual events allowed UD to grow its impact across the country and around the world, uniting Blue Hens in new and unique ways.
New Alumni & Friends Website
To help Blue Hens feel connected and supported or just offer some UD distractions during the pandemic, The Office of Development and Alumni Relations created a variety of new digital and virtual opportunities.
20%
increase in pageviews
24%
increase in site visitors
32%
increase in mobile traffic
Don't Overthink, Just Do | Seyanna Barrett, AS20 | TEDxUniversityofDelaware: youtube.com/watch?v=HMFMc7YP7fg
Blue Hen Minds
Everyone could use life-changing advice and food for thought once in a while. The Blue Hen Minds series, brought to you by Delaware First: The Campaign for the University of Delaware, showcased TEDxUniversityofDelaware talks from UD students, faculty and staff.
“I have been truly enjoying these TEDx lectures by our own UD people. We can all use a positive boost these days "
–Darelle Lake Riabov, AS73
Social Media
Throughout the past two years, the need to connect, engage and find common ground increased social media engagement across all of our channels—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
1.35 million
impressions
Congratulations to these Blue Hens, whose love for UD shone so bright in their posts that they won additional funding toward the I Heart UD Giving Day projects of their choice! #IHeartUD pic.twitter.com/cC01RiOpqo
— University of Delaware Alumni (@UDalumni) May 6, 2021
41%
increase in engagements
#TransformationTuesday #BlueHensForever pic.twitter.com/3Qv0Pi300h
— University of Delaware Alumni (@UDalumni) November 10, 2020
40,000+
followers
Virtual Events
While the coronavirus made in-person events impossible, virtual events ensured connections could stay strong throughout the second half of FY20 and through FY21.
From cooking classes and interviews with successful alumni to webinars on handling a crisis and virtual job shadowing, the events appealed to every interest.
Behind the Curtain: An interview with UD alum Susan Stroman: youtube.com/watch?v=9_JDMXNyStc
Behind the Curtain: An interview with UD alum Susan Stroman
Not Your Typical Wine Tasting: youtube.com/watch?v=9rGK5aLYDA4
Not Your Typical Wine Tasting with Brian Tannebaum
Inside Baseball with Dan Kolko, AS07: youtube.com/watch?v=-ol_PkAfZ44
Inside Baseball with Dan Kolko, AS07, Nationals Field Reporter
Alumni & Friends News and Events
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Honorary degrees to be awarded
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Trustees to hold spring semiannual meeting on May 14
Joe Flacco, Tamika R. Montgomery-Reeves, Donald L. Sparks and KR Sridhar to be recognized for personal and professional achievements