April 10, 2026, marked Colorado Mesa University’s 101st birthday, which also served as both the 10th annual Day of Giving and the grand finale of CMU’s year-long Century Celebration.
With over 50 student-led and athletics campaigns, Day of Giving is the largest fundraising day across the university community. For the 101st celebration, CMU extended the traditional Day of Giving to be a weekend-long celebration to honor history and fund the future. This year’s Day of Giving fundraising challenge brought together 995 donors who gave an impressive $218,085 directly to student-led campaigns.
The Day of Giving Weekend celebration included the unveiling of CMU’s new stature to honor founding faculty, Mary Rait, the opening of the newly renovated Moss Performing Arts Center, an all-day athletics Spring Festival and a Maverick birthday party.
As campus organizations and sports teams spent the weekend raising funds, a little friendly competition helped incentivize active fundraising, sponsored by Commerce Trust and High Country Beverage. Throughout the weekend, $13,000 was awarded to challenge winners.
Donor Challenges & Winning Campaigns
Athletics Challenge, Sponsored by High Country Beverage:
Maverick Football earned a clean sweep of Athletic giving challenges, earning $6,000 in additional funds. Football had the most donors for the Friday Noon Power Hour, Friday Night Power Hour and Monday Last-Chance Power Hour. They also won:
- Most Student Donors with 41 student contributors
- Most Donors with 310 donors
- Most Dollars raised ($66,113.35)
General Campus Campaign Challenge Winners, Sponsored by Commerce Trust:
Friday Noon Power Hour Challenge
Winner: Pura Vida Study Abroad
Friday Night Power Hour Challenge
Winner: Music Scholarships
Monday Last-Chance Power Hour Challenge
Winner: Iron Mavericks Barbell Club
All Power Hour winners were awarded an additional $500 for having the most donors during the Power Hour.
101st Birthday – 101st Gift Challenge
Winner: Women in Science & Engineering – $500
In honor of CMU’s 101st birthday, this challenge recognized the campaign that received the 101st overall gift, which was given by Melanie Young.
Most Student Donors Winner: Study Abroad (17 student donors)
Largest Single Gift Winner: Mesa Summer Theatre Program ($1,558)
Most Donors Winner: Pura Vida Study Abroad (89 donors)
Most Dollars Raised Winner: Mesa Motorsports ($6,990)
Thank you to our sponsors: Timberline Bank (Shark Bank), Commerce Trust (Giving Challenges) and High Country Beverage (Athletics Giving Challenges).
Thank you to the Maverick community for supporting CMU through all Day of Giving challenges.
Learn more about the Celebrate 101 campaigns, and give: https://engage.supportingcmu.org/campaign/celebrate-101/c772855