Day of Giving saw another record-year. Here’s how donors shattered expectations

Here’s how those dollars will be put to use:

• More students will move forward with the help of scholarships.
• Future teachers can focus on preparing to lead classrooms, not on paying exam fees.
• Students will build connections that open doors at industry conferences.
• Research will have the support it needs to keep advancing.
• Students encountering unexpected hardships will receive timely support.
• Athletic programs will have more resources to compete and win at the highest level.
• And so much more!

A total of 441 donors banded together to make this incredible effort possible. Almost half of them — 48% to be exact — were BSU alumni. Another 26% of donors were friends of the university; faculty and staff comprised 15%; and parents of students made up the final 11%.

Gifts came from all over, including 34 different states. Of course, nowhere was more popular than the Land of 10,000 Lakes, as Minnesota accounted for 74% of all gifts. Following behind were 21 donations from Illinois, 16 from North Dakota, and 15 apiece from Wisconsin and Missouri. Beyond our borders, we also saw nine gifts from Canada and four from Hong Kong.

“A record Day of Giving doesn’t happen by accident, and I am so proud of what our donors accomplished this year,” said Gwenia Fiskevold Gould, the Alumni & Foundation’s Day of Giving director. “What makes it meaningful isn't just the dollar amount, though. It's knowing that donors chose to show up for BSU students in a real, tangible way.”

This year’s accomplishments reflect an ongoing upward trend in the Day of Giving’s year-to-year impact. The total giving in 2026 was more than 30% higher than in 2025, which had also been a record-setting year itself.

To date, Day of Giving has raised over $1.84 million in support since its inception in 2019.

“There’s something special about seeing our Bemidji State community rally together around a single day. These are people who know what BSU means, many of them lived it, and their generosity reflects that connection.”

If you donated on Day of Giving, thank you! We can't thank you enough for joining our cause and making a difference. The future of Bemidji State University — and its students — is bright because of people like you.

If you didn’t participate but still want to contribute to BSU and join the philanthropic momentum already in motion, you can do so by clicking the button below or by visiting bsualumni.org/donate.