Thank you for your friendship to Dalton State

Co-authored by David Elrod, director of the Dalton State Foundation

When we are out and about in the community, people frequently come up and say some variation of, “Let me know what I/we/my company can do to support Dalton State.” This is music to our ears, especially in those times when resources are tight or when we’re seeking to strengthen our foundation of support among the population the college is intended to serve.

One of the easiest avenues for supporting Dalton State is philanthropy.

A common misconception is that philanthropy applies only to millionaires, but anyone can be a philanthropist. Philanthropy is the act of giving any amount, whether it’s $10 or $10 million. We all have different philanthropic abilities, but when we focus them on shared aspirations and goals, that’s when magic happens.   

This was illustrated dramatically during Dalton State’s fourth annual Giving Day on Oct. 19. For weeks leading up to the big day, we communicated in person, by phone, in email and text message, on our website, social media and in so many of our interactions with donors, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the college. So many people wanted to know how they could help Dalton State, and so many responded with gifts of all sizes – philanthropy – that they gave $194,922.

Every Giving Day, the emphasis is on participation, and we encourage gifts of any size to any area of the college donors love most. We saw gifts from $5 to $5,000 and all points in between. We highlighted nine special projects this year, and donors gave to 44 different projects and funds across campus. While only one particular scholarship was among our Giving Day priorities, donors gave $91,000 for all kinds of scholarships.

Donors gave for our Turtle Assurance Colony, and they gave for our Roadrunner Student Emergency Fund to help students in unexpected financial stress. In fact, our very own student government leaders came together in an inspirational act of philanthropy to support their fellow students in need. Donors gave for the School of Arts and Sciences’ Experiential Learning Fund, and they gave for our School of Education GAP Fund, which assists students with the costs of professional exams and other required expenses before they graduate. Donors gave for what donors loved.

This kind of response simply reinforced what we already knew – donors love a lot of different things about Dalton State. That is really what is so rewarding about an effort like Giving Day – it shows us in real numbers and in real time what donors think is important, and that’s exactly what we seek to encourage and what we want to know.

Philanthropy is ingrained in Dalton State’s institutional DNA. Our very beginning in the 1960s was the result of the very first acts of philanthropy in support of the college – four gifts of property from four visionary local businessmen who wanted to see a college right here in Dalton. Every big leap Dalton State has made ever since – becoming a four-year institution, adding new bachelor’s degrees, building on-campus student housing, doubling our scholarship opportunities for students with financial need, the addition of athletics – all this and more were and are enabled by philanthropy. Through the collective support of people who believe in the power of higher education to change lives, Dalton State has served the local community and region for more than 50 years.

Our mission is that simple and that big. And we cannot do what we do without you.

On behalf of our family of donors of who share this aspiration for Dalton State to improve lives and increase educational opportunities, we invite you to give this year and to think about how you want to be involved in our 2024 Giving Day next October. You can give online at www.daltonstate.edu/giving or contact us at 706-272-4473 to explore how you or your family or your company can be a part of the good things happening at Dalton State.

When everyone is working together toward common goals, that is when we at Dalton State are at our best, and that is when we accomplish the most.

Thank you for your friendship to Dalton State.