DANBURY, Connecticut — Western Connecticut State University launched its second annual Wolves Day of Giving on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, a daylong event that focused on the gift of education. As the 24-hour contribution clock ticked down toward midnight on Feb. 20, one thing became clear: faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, grandparents, supporters and friends took the challenge to contribute seriously. More than $367,454 was donated by 2,277 donors in just one day.
All contributions made during Wolves Day of Giving will directly impact Western Connecticut State University and its students, whether through scholarships, funds to purchase textbooks, the purchase of equipment for anything from science labs to sports training rooms – and much, much more.
Joining the many generous donors were Visionary Sponsors that included Presenting Sponsor Ives Bank; Gold Sponsors Mulvaney Mechanical and Council 4 SUOAF-AFSCME; Bronze Sponsors Fay & Jerry Walton and WCSU SUOAF-AFSCME; Wolf Pack Sponsors WCSU-AAUP, Linda & Larry Harbuck, and Collins Hannafin; Athletics Sponsors Golf Ranch, Lou’s Deli and Salads, Michael Angelo’s Pizzeria, The Cue, Square One, The DelVecchio Family, Omaha Beef Co, Pippa’s Sports Café, IHOP, Coach William Walton, Maria Conlon, The Flight Department and Aquila’s Nest. Contributing Sponsors LesserEvil, Berkshire Food Inc., Pepsi, Sodexo and WXCI-91.7 donated goods and services on Feb. 20.
Thirteen campus departments, programs and organizations were the beneficiaries of Day of Giving contributions. WestConn Athletics topped the leaderboard with $208,863 received from 1,822 donors – many of whom sent messages of support to current or former student-athletes.
In a letter to the campus community on Feb. 21, President (Interim) Dr. Manohar Singh expressed his gratitude.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire WestConn community for the incredible support shown during yesterday’s 2nd Annual Wolves Day of Giving. With a goal of $300,000, the university has exceeded expectations, raising over $350,000 from more than 2,000 donors as of this morning. This is a significant achievement, especially when compared to last year’s total of $211,000, and it is truly transformational for our students, faculty, and the entire community.”
After thanking the many campus teams that were instrumental in planning for, promoting and executing Wolves Day of Giving, Singh also addressed the many donors directly: “A special shout-out goes to our faculty, staff, and students, who not only demonstrated their philanthropic support but also generously shared their time and talents throughout the day. My sincere appreciation also goes to the Foundation Board, Alumni Board, Athletics, Event & Conference Management, Communications and Marketing teams, and all the Deans, faculty, and staff members for their contributions.”
Singh concluded with an acknowledgement of the day’s primary organizer and sponsor: “Yesterday’s success would not have been possible without the outstanding efforts of the Institutional Advancement team — thank you for making such a lasting difference. And, of course, a special thanks to Ives Bank of Danbury for being the presenting sponsor. Once again, thank you all for your unwavering support. Together, we are truly making a difference!”
To see images from the Feb. 20 event, go to www.flickr.com/photos/westconn/albums/72177720323953245/ or www.flickr.com/photos/westconn/albums/72177720323962356/.
Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.