Missouri University of Science and Technology supporters recently doubled the impact of their donations thanks to a matching challenge for gifts of $1,000 or more issued by the Kummer Institute Foundation. The Kummer Day Giving Challenge began Oct. 9, the anniversary of the $300 million gift the university received from Fred and June Kummer in 2020, and closed Wednesday, Oct. 25.

The donations from 74 alumni, eight S&T employees, and a few donors who requested anonymity totaled over $350,000, which was matched by the foundation for a total of over $750,000. The Academy of Miner Athletics, Academy of Electrical and Computer Engineering , and the Mines and Metallurgy Academy, the top three fundraising teams, each had bonus funds applied to their donation.

Kristen Gallagher, executive director of development for the Kummer Institute, says the success of the campaign is significant for a few reasons. It enabled donors of smaller amounts to double the impact of their gift. The campaign provided the option to fundraise as a team. And it delivered on one of the pillars of the Kummer gift.

“We are thrilled with the results,” says Gallagher. “Drawing on Kummer Day as the catalyst, this campaign inspired many first-time donors to be a part of the commitment to student success that’s at the core of the gift from June and Fred Kummer. For as little as $1,000, every group and individual that donated now owns a little bit of positive change in the world.” 

Donors allocated their gifts to numerous entities that enhance the experience of S&T students, which was identified as a priority by June and Fred Kummer when they made their historic gift to Missouri S&T. Gifts designated for the Miner Alumni Association Scholarship, Kummer STEM Center, Student Emergency Fund, Business and Information Technology Advisory Board, Kummer Vanguard Scholars, College of Arts, Sciences, and Education Dean’s Leadership Council, and the College of Engineering and Computing were matched by the foundation.

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.