CSB raises over $240,000 in one day

It's one thing to surpass a fundraising goal by a few thousand dollars, it's quite another to raise nearly 2 ½ times the original goal. But that's exactly what the College of Saint Benedict did.

In one 24-hour period, beginning at midnight on Wednesday, Nov. 13, CSB received $240,539 in donations from alumnae, students, parents and friends who were encouraged to go to the website givecsb.com and make a donation to the "100K in a Day" challenge.

With $50,000 in matching funds from five donors, CSB surpassed its original $100,000 goal by 11 a.m. Eight more donors came forward pledging an additional $56,200 in matching funds, bringing that total to $106,200.

Every gift made online and via credit card through the phonathon will be used to support Saint Ben's students. The progress was displayed on givecsb.com and support was rallied on Facebook, with hourly updates.

"I certainly couldn't have attended Saint Ben's without the financial aid that was given to me," said Judy Forstner Poferl '82, a CSB trustee and match donor. "At the time, I had no idea that aid had in large part come from the women who had gone before.  It is my turn to give back."

A total of 780 donors contributed gifts ranging from $5 to $15,000.

"What a way to celebrate, not just 100 years of this institution, but also the power of the Saint Ben's community. It takes gifts of all sizes to reach a goal like this. But more importantly, it requires a belief in our students," said Heather Pieper-Olson, senior director of advancement for CSB Institutional Advancement. "I like to think that we raised $100K for the Bennies from our first century and another $100K - and then some - for Bennies of our second century. On behalf of our entire faculty, staff and student body, I simply say 'thank you.'"

Last year, CSB participated in "Give to the Max," an online event designed to increase donations to Minnesota-based nonprofits. This year, CSB took a different approach to celebrate the school's 100th anniversary and help maximize the impact that these contributions have on CSB students.