Donors from around the world helped Cornell break multiple records on its 12th annual Giving Day, held March 12.

In 24 hours, the 2026 event brought together 17,011 alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends. Together they raised $11,345,462, to support everything from student organizations to scholarship aid to groundbreaking research.

“Cornellians everywhere joined together to make our 12th Giving Day a great success,” said Fred Van Sickle, vice president for alumni affairs and development. “This has been a challenging year for higher education, and it’s deeply energizing to see donors show up for our students in such a powerful way. They’re supporting tomorrow’s leaders and sustaining Cornell’s progress on solving real-world problems.”

Credit: Alexandra Bayer/Cornell University

Donors from all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C. and 63 countries made 25,277 gifts across 803 funds.

Much of Giving Day’s success is powered by peer-to-peer engagement by Giving Day “champions,” who sign up to advocate for causes close to their hearts and rally others to donate through personal outreach and social media.

This year, a record-breaking 704 Giving Day champions helped to bring in more than 4,037 gifts. Donors unlocked an all-time high of $2,457,365 in match and challenge funds, multiplying the impact of their gifts.

Since its inception, Cornell’s Giving Day has focused significantly on supporting current students. On the Ithaca campus, an unprecedented 1,660 students attended 13 different events to write donor thank-you postcards, play games and compete for prizes.

“Giving Day to me is incredibly meaningful because it shows the strength of the Cornell community. It’s a day where alumni, students, faculty and supporters all come together to invest in current and future Cornellians,” said Carley Canty ’26, co-chair of the Alumni Affairs Student Engagement Committee, who helped with the trivia table.

A first-generation college student, Canty is especially passionate about helping students connect with alumni who can provide guidance, mentorship and access to resources that support both their academic and professional goals.

“Giving Day is a moment where that sense of support becomes really visible,” Canty said. “It is not only about financial contributions, but also about strengthening the relationships between alumni and students so that Cornellians continue to invest in each other’s success long after graduation.

“Many of the opportunities that students benefit from on campus exist because people chose to give back. Seeing that collective support reminds students that they are part of a community that believes in them and wants to help them succeed,” she said.

This year, 1,952 students across undergraduate, graduate and professional schools donated to their favorite organizations and causes.

More than 2,000 donors from the Classes of 2016-2025 also participated in Giving Day, with most recent alumni contributing to causes that helped shape their own time at Cornell.

Alicia Choi ’24, vice president of the Class of 2024, chose to donate to a student group that played a large role in her undergraduate experience, the Steminist Movement at Cornell (TSM), which helps present STEM content to middle school girls to reduce the gender gap in the field.

“I saw firsthand how access and representation can change trajectories,” Choi said. “Supporting TSM on Giving Day is my way of investing in the next generation of students, so they have the resources, mentorship and platform to lead and expand opportunities for others.”

Choi’s classmate Sokhnadiarra Ndiaye ’24, president of the Class of 2024, agreed that it was most important to give back to groups that helped her thrive and develop as a leader.

“I grew into myself at Cornell, so it’s my pleasure to give back to the organizations that shaped my experience,” Ndiaye said. “From the unforgettable African Cup of Nations (AFCON) watch party with the Institute for African Development, to pitching at Silicon Valley with eLab, there’s not a thing I would change. Now it’s my turn to pay it forward.”

Jennifer Wholey is a writer for Alumni Affairs and Development.