UF students write letters of thanks to university donors

On Wednesday, Jake Hughes, 20, wrote a thank-you letter and dropped it in a mailbox on the Plaza of the Americas.

His letter expressed gratitude to donors of UF for making the university great, he said as he participated in an annual event to thank them.

“It’s a really neat way to get people to write these letters and say thank you,” the UF chemical engineering junior said.

The UF Alumni Association helped host the second-annual Grateful Gator Day. On-campus organizations and more than 100 student volunteers invited students to write letters to the thousands of individual donors that help financially support UF each year.

More than 2,000 students attended, said Stella Heekin, who helped organize the event.

“Our goal is to not only show donors that students care, but that donor support really does make a difference in students’ experiences at UF,” the 21-year-old UF public relations senior said.

More than 72,400 alumni, parents and friends made gifts to UF last year, said Suzanne Woodward, the director of the Office of Donor Relations. Gifts less than $250 each totaled $3.4 million, and all donations combined totaled $402.6 million, she said.

Handwritten letters from the event will be mailed to those who have contributed any amount of money for at least 10 years, she said.

“We want to let them know how much students appreciate them,” Woodward said.

UF students write letters of thanks to university donors

It was the second-annual Grateful Gator Day.

By Elena Castello

Alligator Contributing Writer

On Wednesday, Jake Hughes, 20, wrote a thank-you letter and dropped it in a mailbox on the Plaza of the Americas.

His letter expressed gratitude to donors of UF for making the university great, he said as he participated in an annual event to thank them.

“It’s a really neat way to get people to write these letters and say thank you,” the UF chemical engineering junior said.

The UF Alumni Association helped host the second-annual Grateful Gator Day. On-campus organizations and more than 100 student volunteers invited students to write letters to the thousands of individual donors that help financially support UF each year.

More than 2,000 students attended, said Stella Heekin, who helped organize the event.

“Our goal is to not only show donors that students care, but that donor support really does make a difference in students’ experiences at UF,” the 21-year-old UF public relations senior said.

More than 72,400 alumni, parents and friends made gifts to UF last year, said Suzanne Woodward, the director of the Office of Donor Relations. Gifts less than $250 each totaled $3.4 million, and all donations combined totaled $402.6 million, she said.

Handwritten letters from the event will be mailed to those who have contributed any amount of money for at least 10 years, she said.

“We want to let them know how much students appreciate them,” Woodward said.

UF students write letters of thanks to university donors

It was the second-annual Grateful Gator Day.

By Elena Castello

Alligator Contributing Writer

On Wednesday, Jake Hughes, 20, wrote a thank-you letter and dropped it in a mailbox on the Plaza of the Americas.

His letter expressed gratitude to donors of UF for making the university great, he said as he participated in an annual event to thank them.

“It’s a really neat way to get people to write these letters and say thank you,” the UF chemical engineering junior said.

The UF Alumni Association helped host the second-annual Grateful Gator Day. On-campus organizations and more than 100 student volunteers invited students to write letters to the thousands of individual donors that help financially support UF each year.

More than 2,000 students attended, said Stella Heekin, who helped organize the event.

“Our goal is to not only show donors that students care, but that donor support really does make a difference in students’ experiences at UF,” the 21-year-old UF public relations senior said.

More than 72,400 alumni, parents and friends made gifts to UF last year, said Suzanne Woodward, the director of the Office of Donor Relations. Gifts less than $250 each totaled $3.4 million, and all donations combined totaled $402.6 million, she said.

Handwritten letters from the event will be mailed to those who have contributed any amount of money for at least 10 years, she said.

“We want to let them know how much students appreciate them,” Woodward said.

Jake Hughes, a UF chemical engineering junior, writes a letter at Grateful Gator Day. “It’s a cool idea,” he said. Hughes’ letter, addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Williams, was one of more than 2,000 that will be sent to donors.