More than 2,300 Culver supporters donate nearly $2 million on Day of Giving

Preliminary results show that more than 2,300 Culver Academies alumni, parents, faculty, staff and supporters contributed nearly $2 million to the school during the annual Day of Giving Campaign on Thursday.

“We deeply appreciate how generous the Culver community is in supporting the Academies,” said Jason Petrovich, Culver’s chief advancement officer. “Our team at Culver put together a great plan for the day and over 2,300 alumni, parents and friends responded with their support. We are grateful."

Culver supporters from all 50 states and 23 countries donated during the 24-hour event.

All the money donated during the eighth annual Day of Giving goes directly into the Culver Fund, which is the lifeblood of the school. That money provides scholarship opportunities for students and campers; attract and retain faculty and staff; and allows Culver to continue offering unique programs for character and leadership development.

The more than 2,300 donors easily surpassed the goal of 1,913 donors, a goal selected to honor the year Culver first took part in the presidential inaugural parade.

Culver students spent part of the day Friday calling donors to thank them for their generosity and some took time out during lunch to write thank you notes to those who donated.

“I want to thank you because Culver has given me so many amazing opportunities. It’s given me the opportunity to grow as a student, as a leader, as a friend,” said Sawyer Wilson ’26.

Students crowded around tables at the front of the Lay Dining Center to write thank you notes. The notes weren’t just to donors, though. Students wrote thank you notes to instructors, coaches, friends, teammates, dining room staff, janitors and their families.

“I’m thankful for Culver because I’ve been exposed to such a diverse community that I wouldn’t have been exposed to if I went to school somewhere else,” said Tommy Kelley, ’25. “I’ve spent my entire life on campus and it’s been fun to watch the community grow.”