TRU – Day of Giving sets new record in donations for bursaries, scholarships

With donations pouring in over 24 hours, the 2025 Day of Giving at TRU more than doubled its goal to raise $50,000 — generating $105,997 to directly help students.

A total of 193 donors — including alumni, long-time individual supporters, organizations and new contributors — chose from a variety of funds to make their donations during the annual campaign on Feb. 27. Funds raised through Day of Giving and stewarded by the TRU Foundation primarily support scholarships and bursaries for TRU students in Kamloops and Williams Lake.

“Day of Giving is one of my favourite days of the year. I get emotional watching support pour in from the community knowing how critical those dollars are to provide financial support for university students,” said Kim Cassar Torreggiani, associate vice-president Advancement.

“It’s a day where, no matter how much you give, every little bit makes a difference. We raised over $100,000 in one day and thousands of those dollars came in single donations of $25, $50 or $100. It’s astounding what can happen when we come together.”

The 2025 Day of Giving took place over 24 hours, a departure from the 48-hour donation window in previous years. Despite the shorter timeline, Day of Giving welcomed more individual donors than ever before and smashed the previous record of $81,591 set in 2024.

Several community members came forward to provide matching funds and challenge funds to help amplify the impact for students, including Drs. Roland and Anne Neave and family, the Kamloops Blazers Scholarship and Education Society, Marg and Terry Bangen, Trace Associates, Fiona Chan, Brogan Fire and Safety, the BC Nurses’ Union, Valley First Credit Union, and TRU Alumni.