"Wear Black, Give Back" Sets New Records

Highlights

• The 2024 "Wear Black, Give Back," UNO’s 24-hour giving day, raised a record-setting $907,396 from 6,242 gifts.

• The results exceeded the target of 5,000 gifts to support student scholarships, UNO’s colleges and programs, student groups and activities, Omaha Athletics and more.  

• The 24-hour giving day began at noon on Oct. 8 and concluded at noon on Oct. 9.  

• UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, expressed her gratitude to Maverick supporters for their generosity and commitment to UNO’s mission.

Maverick supporters, thank you for being bullish on the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

UNO backers, near and far, came together to support Omaha’s metropolitan university during Wear Black, Give Back, Oct. 8-9, 2024. Over 24 hours, 6,242 gifts were made to raise a record-setting $907,396.

The results exceeded the target of 5,000 gifts to support UNO’s colleges and programs, scholarships, student groups and activities, Omaha Athletics and other priorities.

Gifts were made online at givingday.unomaha.edu. Participants were encouraged to wear their UNO apparel with pride and share on social media why they give back, using the hashtag #WearBlackGiveBack.

“Wear Black, Give Back is more than just a celebration of Omaha’s metropolitan university; it’s an opportunity for our entire community to come together in support of our Maverick students,” UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, said. “I am incredibly grateful to our Maverick supporters for another record-setting giving day. Their generosity and commitment to UNO’s mission ensure that we continue to provide transformative experiences and opportunities for every student who walks through our doors.”

On a picture-perfect fall day in Omaha, the campus came alive Tuesday with Maverick spirit. As a deejay played music, volunteers handed out hotdogs, and Chancellor Li greeted students near the Henningson Memorial Campanile.

Collectively, 80 participating student organizations raised more than $79,000 in the 2024 Wear Black, Give Back. Many set up tables around the bell tower to share information about their organizations, including the UNO Club Hockey Team. The club is self-funded by players and through sponsorships, so members asked for donors’ support to pay for charter buses, flights, hotels, team uniforms and extra ice time.

UNO freshman Rocco DiSpirito said joining the club has helped him get involved on campus. “Hockey is a fun sport to play,” he said. “It’s a fun sport to watch, too.”

Alumni and donors pledged more than $515,000 in challenge and matching funds to encourage others to give during the event. Chancellor Li established a $10,000 challenge for UNO student scholarships. Another match supported the UNO Student Parents. Gracyn Little, the group’s president, said she’s juggling her pre-medicine studies with parenting two young children while expecting a third child. UNO Student Parents provides support and a connection to campus resources as student parents work to complete their degrees.

She and her husband are UNO students, and Little recalled taking her baby to organic chemistry lectures. “It takes a lot of work,” Little said. “It takes a lot of support from campus and my loved ones.”

The UNO College of Business Administration Scholars Academy is another campus priority to receive support during Wear Black, Give Back. In the academy, students visit local businesses, connect with other business students and travel abroad during their junior year. Through a mentorship program, students gain practical advice from professionals with real-world experience while expanding their networks.

“What has probably been the most impactful for students is the mentor program,” said Bethany Hughes, director of the CBA Scholars Academy. “Every student is matched with a mentor from the business community, and we have expanded it. They will meet with their mentor six times throughout the academic year.”

Todd Cooper, general manager of UNO’s student newspaper, the Gateway, said Wear Black, Give Back lets the UNO community see the many great groups and worthy causes on campus.

“We have more than a dozen journalists who are fact-finders and storytellers in a world that desperately needs both,” he said of the Gateway. “They are heartened to see how many people support journalism and journalists.”

This is the fifth year for Wear Black, Give Back. During 2023, the giving day received 4,967 gifts totaling $761,285 for causes and programs across UNO.