Clark Billups ’17 was a senior when he made his first-ever gift to the University of Mary Washington.

Now, he’s sponsoring his first Mary Wash Giving Day challenge, encouraging other young alumni to make their first-ever gift on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. All donations during this 24-hour fundraising celebration – themed #TogetherUMW – go to supporting Mary Washington students and programs.

“I owe so much to my alma mater,” said Billups, who majored in business administration and now works at Liberty Mutual in Fredericksburg. After donating on every Mary Wash Giving Day since its inception, he pledged to give $1,000 this year to the unrestricted Fund for Mary Washington to help address UMW’s most critical needs. “I want to ensure that current and future students have access to the same public liberal arts and sciences education that I did.”

He’s not alone. Generous donors have committed to challenges and matches to inspire the entire UMW community – alumni, students, faculty, staff, families and friends – to participate on Giving Day. Every gift, regardless of size, can help Mary Washington reach its goal of 2,600 gifts and 400 first-time donors, said Director of Annual Giving Shelby Orlando ’14.

With $211,000 in challenges and matches waiting to be unlocked at givingday.umw.edu, every donation has the potential of doubling and even tripling its impact, resulting in thousands of extra dollars to be invested in UMW student success. Read more.

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