On Tuesday, March 18, Elizabethtown College held their 11th annual Power of One Day of giving. This donation event was not only the highest earning year for the college, but also coincided with the school’s 125th anniversary. 

Etown’s director of annual giving, Ben Osterhout, was enthusiastic about the turnout and offered insights into what this fundraising means for the college campus and community. 

“Power of One Day is our big day of giving,” he said. “It is really all about excitement. It allows donors to support the areas of campus that they love the most and want to see thrive.” 

The event attracted 2,239 donors and raised $743,569 for various departments, clubs, and organizations on campus. 

“It’s a little bit of controlled chaos, planning to rely on other people to make their gifts and pull through,” Osterhout said. “It’s gratifying, but also exhausting.” 

According to Osterhout, the Office of Institutional Advancement has already begun plans for next year’s event, just as this year’s event was the result of a year of hard work and planning. 

“For our office, this is our biggest outward facing experience, so to see such a generous response is rewarding enough,” Osterhout said. 

So, where exactly does this money go? It is up to the donors to decide what area of the school will receive their gift. Blue Jay Athletics attracted over a thousand donors and made about $167,000, the academic departments received $53,687 and nearly $264,292 were raised for the area of greatest need, directed by the college funding department.  

The donors were of varied backgrounds including alumni, family members, faculty, students and friends of the college. Nearly 598 parents, grandparents or family members donated, and alumni donations alone totalled to over half a million dollars. 

“This year, we did a lot of work raising student awareness,” Osterhout said. “Even if it was just a few dollars, each donor stepped forward to support what they love about the college. On behalf of students, it is exciting and validating to see since we all work and learn here on campus.” 

Osterhout also explained that many of the athletic teams and academic departments had specific dollar goals, which means that the donations are invested directly into new equipment, resources and funds that each group had decided they needed the most.  

“It’s also a great opportunity to see what the college community wants and who wants to be a part of it. We want to recognize the sacrifice and impact of these donors,” Osterhout added. 

For sophomore early childhood education major Kara Bidgood Enders, there was never a second thought about giving.

 “My brother is a senior here, and my parents were graduates of the class of 1996. I grew up and am still a member of the Church of the Brethren,” she said. “While the college is not as tied to the Church anymore, I still see the values and deep-rooted connections to the values in which I resonate with.”  

Bidgood Enders’ background is a reminder that for many of the students and families attending, this school has been an invaluable gateway to instilling solid academics and attitudes of service within their homes. A donation is not simply a lip service, but a way to give back and show appreciation and togetherness. 

“I’m deeply appreciative of the Education department here at Etown. The generosity and support the professors provide extends far beyond expectations. I want to allow future students to gain similar experiences,” Enders said. Other students agreed.

“I’ve created some of the best friendships ever and have grown so much in my life, not just academically. I feel at home at Etown,” sophomore Actuarial Science major Acacia Kreider said. Kreider shared that she felt giving was necessary given the profound impact the faculty had on her academic and professional career even just at the start. 

“I had a professor who believed in me fully when I didn’t believe that I could continue in my major,” Kreider said.“She was the one who saw what I was capable of and knew I could succeed.”  

And that, suffice to say, is something that one cannot put a price on. 

“Three words to describe Etown? Energetic, loving and accepting,” Kreider said.