Annual Big Give Breaks Record

Pictured: A student donor on the Long Island Campus.

This year marks the Big Give’s fifth anniversary. And the New York Tech community celebrated in a big way, exceeding last year’s total by just over $60,000. Held on March 8 through 9, this year’s donations brought in a record-breaking $415,915 from 939 donors. Over the event’s five-year history, the Big Give has raised more than $1.5 million.

In commemoration of the institution’s founding in 1955, the Big Give lasts 1,955 minutes (about 33 hours) and brings together the New York Tech community to help support the student experience at campuses in New York City, Long Island, Vancouver, and Jonesboro.

On March 5, three days ahead of the opening of the campaign, the College of Osteopathic Medicine on the Jonesboro campus of Arkansas State University (NYITCOM-Arkansas) held its second Fit Physicians 5K Walk.

And on March 8, the community officially kicked off the Big Give with faculty and staff receptions at NYIT de Seversky Mansion on the Long Island campus and the Nada Anid, Ph.D., Art Gallery and Student Lounge in New York City, as well as an alumni networking reception at Stout Bryant Park in Manhattan. Attendees at each event mixed and mingled and received the fifth edition of the event’s now famous branded socks.

On the Vancouver campus, students raised funds for the Vancouver Cares program at a Student Games Night. Vancouver Cares supports international students with emergency funds when unforeseen expenses arise while attending New York Tech, such as emergency car repairs, eyeglass replacement, or emergency dental work.

On March 9 on Long Island, students, faculty, and staff participated in the NYITCOM Fit Physicians Walk, and alumni celebrated the fifth annual Big Give at a networking reception at The Refuge in Melville, N.Y. In Vancouver, staff members gathered for a luncheon to support the Big Give and the Vancouver Cares program, and alumni joined their fellow Bears at a wine and cheese reception at the Broadway Tech Centre.

“The support we see every year from faculty and staff is inspiring,” says Patrick Minson, Ed.D., vice president for development, alumni relations, and external affairs. “In previous years, our colleagues comprised more than one-third of the donors to the Big Give, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. Words cannot express how grateful I am.”

Challenge Accepted 

Thanks to the generosity of a member of the New York Tech Board of Trustees, additional challenge dollars were offered to the school or college with the most faculty and staff donors. At the conclusion of the Big Give, the School of Health Professions received $5,000.

Daniel Ferrara (D.O. ’86), vice-chair of the Board of Trustees, offered a match challenge gift of $25,000. The first 25 gifts of $1,000 or more were matched with an additional $1,000 by Ferrara.

NYITCOM alumna Raysha Crawford (D.O. ’14) offered a $20,000 challenge, which was unlocked when the medical school reached 175 donors.

Other challenges and winners included:

• School with the most dollars raised: NYITCOM
• School with most donors: School of Architecture and Design
• School with the most alumni donors: College of Engineering and Computing Sciences
• School with the most student donors: NYITCOM-Arkansas

“While tuition allows us to operate, it is fundraising efforts like this that empower us to provide students and faculty with cutting-edge tools and resources, make investments in our campuses, and support our students in the ever-changing ways they need us,” says Minson.

Why I Give

There are many reasons why people choose to make a gift to New York Tech. For these three alumni, it’s about recognizing the school for giving them the foundation to build successful careers and to support future generations.

“A long time ago, NYITCOM took a chance on a first-generation college kid from an immigrant family that grew up in New York City. Not every family has the finances available, and I find myself in a position to be able to give back. It’s a great feeling,” says Nelson Eng (D.O. ’88).

“I contribute back to the pool that gave me the tools for success many years ago. It’s me paying it forward,” says Radhika Mehta-Sharan (M.B.A. ’02). “I would like New York Tech to be a world-class institution and a university of choice for students who, like me, are committed to excellence and need to attend school in an urban environment.”

“It is important to never forget where you came from or your roots,” says Anthony Gioeli (B.S. ’88). “By giving back [to New York Tech] through financial and time commitments, you remember the people and institutions that helped make you who you are and pave the way for the next generation of leaders.”