Recap: Day of Giving 2022

How much do we love Zeta Tau Alpha? Our third annual Day of Giving let us count the ways!

Before we celebrated our sisterhood’s 124th Founders’ Day on Oct. 15, the third annual Day of Giving had us considering “Sisterhood by the Numbers.” Over 24 hours, from 10:15 a.m. EDT on Friday, Oct. 14, to 10:15 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Oct. 15, we shared fun facts about nine mystery numbers and their relevance to ZTA.

There is strength in numbers and the sisters and friends who showed up to support the ZTA Foundation proved that once again. This year, 1,396 contributions were made for a total of a grand total of $273,636.

Every contribution to the ZTA Foundation supports scholarships, educational programming, leadership training and philanthropy efforts. These are all significant in the lives of our members, as well as the breast cancer survivors we support. Our donors make that possible.

This year’s campaign again featured exciting challenges and rewards that were unlocked as we met goals throughout the day.

On the Count of 3

Our three Presidents (of the Fraternity, Foundation and Fraternity Housing Corporation) kicked off the third annual Day of Giving with a special gift. We’re grateful to know we can count on their leadership!

• National President Dinah Jackson Laughery (Beta Gamma, Florida State University)

• ZTA Foundation President Carolyn Hof Carpenter (Theta Tau, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

• ZTA Fraternity Housing Corporation President Natalie Yingling Lisko (Delta Omega, Westminster College)

Featured Donors

Speaking of three, we also shared three special video features of some dedicated ZTA donors throughout the campaign. These generous women continually support the ZTA Foundation and we thank them for sharing their stories with all of us! You can watch each of their feature videos here:

Kelley Moulton (Eta Lambda, College of Charleston)

Jenni Zottolo Leger (Zeta Sigma, The University of Texas at Arlington)

Shamim Syed Wu (Theta Omega, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona)

Sisterhood by the Numbers

There are numbers of reasons to love ZTA and our unlock challenges gave us a fun look into nine of them! We unlocked the secret meaning behind each number with every 100 donations by sharing a short fun fact video. Check out all of the numbers and watch their videos at ZTADayofGiving.org!

Thank you to the following Zetas for being Challenge Donors for these:

• Alicia Patten Williams (Theta Psi, Texas State University)

• Meredith Harris Braselman (Delta Lambda, Georgia State University)

• Kathleene Suzanne Papp (Delta Delta, Baldwin-Wallace University)

• Dr. Stacey Verkest Voigt (Gamma Tau, Texas Tech University)

• Karla Lundgren Wheeler (Psi, University of Washington)

• Jill Burrows Levine (Beta Omega, Union University)

• Shari H. Robbins M.D. (Gamma Alpha, University of Miami)

• Meghan Vicinus Parker (Alpha Upsilon, Oklahoma State University)

• Dr. Darcy L. Russell (Sigma, Baker University)

• Leigh Ann Pruitt McClain (Alpha Upsilon, Oklahoma State University)

• Leilani Struzick Rabourn (Eta Iota, Valdosta State University)

• Susie Werner Geiger (Epsilon, University of Arkansas)

• Bobby Seitz Turnball (Alpha Theta, Purdue University)

• Colleen O’Reilly Hann (Delta Upsilon, West Virginia Wesleyan College)

• Prabha Parameswaran (Alpha Kappa, University of Illinois)

• Carla Martin Cobb (Theta Tau, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

• Michelle Norris Montalbano (Alpha Upsilon, Oklahoma State University)

Late Night with ZTA

New this year, everyone had the opportunity to buy a ticket to an exclusive, late-night online party. The Zoom parties were held at 11 p.m. EDT and 11 p.m. PDT and tickets cost $18.98, either as a one-off purchase or in addition to a donation. Party attendees were treated to late night talk show antics, sisterhood, trivia and prizes! Thank you, Late Night sponsor and hosts, for making this such a memorable event!

• Sponsor: Marnie Marlar Frazier (Eta Omega, Louisiana State University, Shreveport)

• Host: Kathy Cook Apogee (Zeta Pi, Woodbury University)

• Host: Dr. Rachelle Douglass (Alpha Psi, University of Missouri)

• Host: Keeley McDonald (Iota Sigma, Old Dominion University)

• Host: Nona Douglass Richey (Zeta Omicron, Arkansas State University)

First-Time Donor Challenges

This year’s theme may have focused on numbers, but every year is about the number of donors, not dollars. That makes it the perfect time for someone who has never given to become a ZTA Foundation donor. A big thank you to the following Challenge Donors for sponsoring our first-time donor goals:

• Cynthia Byars Courtney (Gamma Tau, Texas Tech University)

• Heather Matthews (Delta Kappa, Louisiana State University)

• Katerina Vaitkus (Iota Zeta, University of New Mexico)

• Jennifer Speidel Baker (Eta Theta, Missouri University of Science & Technology)

• Leigh Ann McAbee Sexton (Nu, University of Alabama)

• V. Jan Middlebrooks (Beta Upsilon, University of South Carolina)

• Malaea Nelms Seleski (Eta Rho, University of North Alabama)

• Bridget Denise Higginbotham (Eta Omega, Louisiana State University, Shreveport)

• Sara Hays Johnston (Alpha Upsilon, Oklahoma State University)

• Mardee Coyle Austin (Zeta Xi, Georgia Southern University)

• Stephanie Arnette Powell (Gamma Pi, University of Georgia)

Power Hours

We stuck with one of Zeta’s favorite numbers for this year’s Power Hours. At 9 p.m. EDT on Friday and 9 a.m. EDT on Saturday, we challenged our sisterhood to reach 100 donations one hour. Thank you to these amazing Challenge Donors for sponsoring these rapid-fire goals:

• Debbie E. Buscher (Zeta Mu, Jacksonville University)

• Ann Johnson Conn (Gamma Iota, University of Florida)

• Kay Dill Kreutzer (Eta Rho, University of North Alabama)

• Michelle Macartney (Delta Delta, Baldwin-Wallace University)

All gifts made on the Day of Giving are undesignated. This allows the Foundation to direct the funds to the most current and essential educational programming needs of our chapters and the financial needs of our members in the 2023-2024 academic year.