KAMLOOPS — With donations pouring in over 24 hours, the 2025 Day of Giving at TRU more than doubled its goal to raise $50,000 — generating $105,997 to directly help students.
A total of 193 donors — including alumni, long-time individual supporters, organizations and new contributors — chose from a variety of funds to make their donations during the annual campaign on Feb. 27. Funds raised through Day of Giving and stewarded by the TRU Foundation primarily support scholarships and bursaries for TRU students in Kamloops and Williams Lake.
“Day of Giving is one of my favourite days of the year. I get emotional watching support pour in from the community knowing how critical those dollars are to provide financial support for university students,” says Kim Cassar Torreggiani, associate vice-president Advancement.
“It’s a day where, no matter how much you give, every little bit makes a difference. We raised over $100,000 in one day and thousands of those dollars came in single donations of $25, $50 or $100. It’s astounding what can happen when we come together.”
The 2025 Day of Giving took place over 24 hours, a departure from the 48-hour donation window in previous years. Despite the shorter timeline, Day of Giving welcomed more individual donors than ever before and smashed the previous record of $81,591 set in 2024.
Several community members came forward to provide matching funds and challenge funds to help amplify the impact for students, including Roland and Anne Neave and family, the Kamloops Blazers Scholarship and Education Society, Marg and Terry Bangen, Trace Associates, Fiona Chan, Brogan Fire and Safety, the BC Nurses’ Union, Valley First Credit Union and TRU Alumni.
What does Day of Giving mean for students?
Here’s what TRU students had to say when asked what it means to them to receive a donor-funded award:
“I love teaching science. Science is what I love, so being able to share that and hopefully inspire kids to also love science and other STEM topics is really, really big for me. I found out about the award that I received while I was at my practicum. It was really exciting — it let me take my mind off of things like finances and focus on being the best educator I can.” — Erin O’Leary, Bachelor of Education, STEM
“When I got the email about the award, it was like winning a lottery to me. It brightened my day massively and it’s a huge help.” — Latham Wallace, Adventure Studies
“Between sports and school, it’s highly demanding. This scholarship has greatly helped me to be able to focus on my education and sport career. I think receiving this type of support helps me play better because it motivates me.” — TRU WolfPack basketball player Nya Derkach, Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
“Getting this award was a huge weight off my shoulders. It allowed me to focus on my studies instead of being focused on my finances and really gave me a chance to breathe and open up and feel comfortable and confident to focus on why I’m here.” — Paul DeLuca, Adventure Studies
For more on the impact of philanthropy at TRU, visit tru.ca/giving.
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Contact:
Jessica Petruk, Senior Communications Consultant, Advancement
Thompson Rivers University
250-371-5697 | jpetruk@tru.ca
