For 26 years, the Park Scholarships program has brought exceptional students to NC State and prepared them to make an impact. The program continues to thrive through the sustained generosity of scholars, alumni, parents, volunteers, and friends.
From $10 gifts directed to the Park Scholarships Sustaining Endowment, to the creation of the program’s 10th co-named Park Scholarship, the committed Park Scholarships donor community showed that big things can be accomplished through sustained giving.
Small incremental gifts add up to make big changes. Nowhere was this more apparent this year than with the Park Scholarships Sustaining Endowment, which is bringing a 41st Park Scholar to the Class of 2026. Nearly 1,200 donors have made over 3,500 gifts to the endowment since it was launched in 2013 by the Park Alumni Society, and more than three-quarters of these gifts have been $100 or less. The collective impact of these donations is making a big difference for the program. Adding a 41st Park Scholar to the Class of 2026 is not only life-changing for the selected student and the student’s family, but also produces a ripple effect for the Park Class of 2026, the network of nearly 1,200 Park Scholars around the world, and the Park and NC State communities as a whole.
794
gifts made to the Park Scholarships program this fiscal year
39%
of Park Scholars who made a gift to the program this fiscal year
$1,396,594
total given or committed to the program this fiscal year
When NC State Day of Giving returned on March 23, the Park Scholarships community came together to raise 555 gifts from 243 donors in just 24 hours. The gifts totaled $458,811 which will support scholarships, enrichment programming, and more. The Park Philanthropy Council and alumni class advocates helped ensure that Park Scholars from every single class made a gift. Thanks to the impressive dedication of the Park community, the program earned more than $10,000 in challenge and bonus funds through participation and social media challenges.
Finally, on Day of Giving, generous Park Scholar parents committed the program’s 10th co-named Park Scholarship, a lasting commitment to the longevity of the program. A gift at this level — a $350,000 endowment — is matched 100% with existing Park Foundation funds to support one Park Scholarship in perpetuity. Since 2017, ten co-named Park Scholarships have been created by Park alumni, families, faculty, and volunteers.
Every day, Park Scholars drive meaningful change in communities near and far. Investing in exceptional students dedicated to scholarship, leadership, service, and character has the power to change lives and change the world.