Here at Northern Illinois University, community is our strength.

When you are part of the Huskie Pack, you belong for life, and these Cardinal and Black bonds are strong, often holding over decades. Your loyalty is never clearer than during our annual Huskies United day of giving, which provides key funding to the University, its programs and hard-working students.
 

This year's fundraising event will begin on Wednesday, March 22, at 4:25 p.m. and run until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, March 23. Unlike the last several years, Huskies United will be the one and only day of giving event for 2023 and NIU alumni, staff, faculty, and friends will come together to show their support for the next generation of Huskies. Over these 1,895 minutes, the Huskie Nation will have the opportunity to unite around the mission, vision and values of NIU through this event, "paying it forward" for deserving students who may need a helping hand.

Because this year's Huskies United is the one day of giving event for the year, the event will be all-encompassing. 

"This is an opportunity for all areas of campus to come together and celebrate what makes NIU great and unique," said Michael Adzovic, senior director of operations and annual giving. "We want to lift up every college, and each school, department and program, so that we are able to help our donors give to the areas they are most passionate about."

To make the most of this outpouring of generosity, there will be many focused giving challenges during the event, which will allow the impact of giving to multiply and grow exponentially with every contribution. One exciting example is our Huskies United Participation Challenge, which will unlock a $300,000 gift to support the Northern Fund when 1,500 in total gifts are made to any area during Huskies United. In addition, The Huskies United New Donor Challenge will unlock a $100,000 gift to support the Northern Fund when 300 individuals make their first-time gift. And with the Huskies United Leadership Donor Challenge, when 50 Leadership Society-level gifts of $1,000 or more are made during Huskies United, a $100,000 gift to support the Northern Fund will be unlocked into our totals.

More giving challenges and matches will be announced in the weeks leading up to Huskies United. Find out more about specific Huskies United giving challenges across the University.

Last year's event totals illustrate the power and focus of our Huskie Pack. Together, our alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the University brought in $1,104,426 during the event—a number which exceeded expectations and topped the prior year's total giving, when just over $1 million was raised.
 

As we begin to prepare for this celebration in March, let us remember the responsibility that comes with success! Help your fellow Huskies as they work diligently to complete their degrees. Who knows what your giving—big or small—will allow them to become.
 

For more information on Huskies United, please visit the website: https://dog.niu.edu/giving-day/63185
To sign up to become a Huskies United ambassador, please visit this website: https://dog.niu.edu/giving-day/63185/signup
If you have questions about becoming an ambassador, please contact Liz McKee, M.S.Ed. ’14, at Lmckee@niu.edu.