Support UHCL scholarships on #GivingTuesday

This holiday season, support University of Houston-Clear Lake by giving to scholarships that help ease the financial burden for students and their families who struggle with tuition.

At 12.01 a.m. on #GivingTuesday, Nov. 29, UHCL is launching a 24-hour campaign to reach at least 100 donors on campus and online. Proceeds will benefit three scholarships of donors’ choosing. The university is seeking a participation goal rather than a dollar goal in a campaign themed, “One day. One goal. 100 Hawks.,” referencing the university’s mascot. Current students, alumni and the community-at-large are asked to participate.

“We feel certain ‘100 Hawks’ will be an easy goal to attain,” said UHCL’s Associate Vice President for University Advancement Rhonda Thompson, who added that donations can be of any amount. “This #GivingTuesday campaign isn’t about the size of our wallets. It’s about the size of our hearts.”

To become one of the 100, go to www.uhcl.edu/giving-tuesday to donate, or drop by the Giving Back table in UHCL’s Atrium II, Bayou Building, 2700 Bay Area Blvd.  For more information, call the Office of University Advancement, 281-283-2021.

UHCL Office of Financial Aid reports that 72 percent of all UHCL undergraduates and 60 percent of full-time first-year students have financial need. While the university awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarship support for 1,900 students for the 2015-16 academic year, this support benefited only one in five students.

“Scholarships help students realize their dreams,” Thompson said. “This is an opportunity to share in their dreams. If someone helped you succeed in your life, this is an easy way to pay it forward.”

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that began in 2012. In 2015, more than 45,000 organizations in 71 countries participated, resulting in countless charitable gifts and volunteer activities.