Connecting with alumni a winning strategy for Giving Day

When Graham Vigrass took over as head coach of the University of Calgary men’s volleyball team a year ago, his priorities were typical — on-court excellence and recruiting success.

But he was also keen to engage the team’s alumni and welcome them back into the Dinos family. 

It was an effort that would pay off for the entire Faculty of Kinesiology during this year’s Giving Day.

Vigrass, BSc’12, BSc’21, knows a lot of former Dinos are well into their post-volleyball careers, which means they could serve as mentors, helping current players bridge the gap from the Jack Simpson Gymnasium to life after sport.

“The alumni network is huge,” says Vigrass, a 2007-12 Dinos standout and two-time Olympian. “But, if you don’t talk to them, they lose interest. They won’t care about what’s going on.”

So, he began reaching out. During the 2024-25 season, he faithfully wrote regular email updates — results, details of upcoming matches, insider tidbits — and sent them to dozens of alumni. 

“That’s gone over super well,” says Vigrass. “They were excited to hear about the team.”

He also organized alumni events such as lawn bowling and a dinner for former players and outgoing seniors. Vigrass’s efforts made a difference. Alumni reported a renewed sense of connection to the Dinos as former players provided career guidance and, now, a philanthropic boost.

Kinesiology tops Giving Day leaderboard

Keeping alumni engaged helped the Faculty of Kinesiology achieve success during Giving Day, UCalgary’s annual fundraising blitz that boosts donor impact with dollar-for-dollar gift matching. This year’s campaign, which ran April 2 to 16, attracted a record number of donors — nearly 3,200 — and raised $2.5 million.

Kinesiology brought in the most donors and dollars raised of any individual faculty, with 751 people giving more than $840,000. The faculty also increased its number of alumni donors by 78 per cent.

The men’s volleyball fund alone raised $50,595 from 76 donors, 50 of whom were alumni. Donations go towards costs associated with staffing, travel to competitions and upgrades to training environment.

“It’s super-inspiring and motivating to know there are people who care that much about our team,” says last year’s team captain, Jackson Meier, BComm’24, who’s now pursuing a Master of Data Science and Analytics. “It’s awesome to bring that support back.”

The successful campaign was also a reminder of the impact the faculty has had on alumni.

“I attribute much of my career success to what I learned and lived through as a Dino,” says donor Cory Paddock, BComm’03, MBA’18, a member of the squad from 2001 to 2003. “For me, there’s a natural pull — if not a sense of obligation — to pay that gift forward by investing in the next generation, who I hope can benefit even a fraction as much as I did.”

Faculty and staff Stay Up for Science

Over in the Faculty of Science, the Physics and Astronomy Mentors (PAM) Talks had a strong showing this Giving Day as a new fund. 

The student-led podcast — which showcases researchers in underrepresented groups — raised $2,380 from 67 donors.

“One of the goals was to increase our audience and the awareness of the work we’re doing,” says Rebecca Booth, BEd’07, MSc’21, a current PhD student and founder and leader of PAM Talks.

“It’s wonderful to receive donations and have the ability to expand our initiative. Our hope now is to start bringing in high-profile researchers from across Canada to give public talks and participate in our podcast.”

Science attracted the second-highest number of faculty and staff donors this year, which included an early surge — 49 donors gave to the school within the first hour of Giving Day — thanks to its Stay Up for Science promotion and cookie campaign, which encouraged donors to give when the site went live at midnight, to ensure their donations were matched.

Breakout year for Arts

For the Faculty of Arts, Giving Day marked a series of remarkable increases over last year, tripling its total donors — including a more than tenfold increase in first-time donors — and raising more than $400,000.

The Major David A. Peabody Memorial Scholarship at the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Services drew 84 donors and raised nearly $41,000. 

It was enough to endow the award, meaning students will be supported in perpetuity, continuing the legacy of alum Peabody, MSS’05, who died in a climbing accident late last year.

A regular on the Giving Day leaderboard, Sikh Studies took things to the next level and was the top-performing fund in 2025. With an additional $100,000 in matching dollars from AMRIK Developments, the fund drew 333 donors and raised more than $265,000.

“I’m blown away,” says Arts Dean Aoife Mac Namara of donors’ generosity, which included a wave of support from alumni, faculty and staff donors. 

New to Giving Day this year, funds with 25 alumni donors or 15 faculty/staff donors received an extra $2,500 from the university’s pool of matching funds. 

“Multiple Arts funds unlocked the alumni and faculty and staff bonuses, amplifying donor impact. It’s really encouraging to see,” says Mac Namara, PhD. 

“We also saw amazing support not just here in Alberta, but throughout Canada, too. What a powerful show of community!”