Pamplin Leads the Way in Record-Breaking Giving Day 2025
Virginia Tech as a whole set a new Giving Day record, raising $21,237,006 from 24,106 Hokie donors. A university record of 2,180 Ambassadors helped generate 15,491 gifts, totaling $1,025,437. Pamplin stood out by winning both the most unique donors totaling 6,139 and the “Beat Your Best” increase percentage over last year’s Central Challenge on the University Leaderboard. Notably, Donna Wertalik, Professor of Practice and PRISM Founder/Advisor, ranked first among University Ambassadors with 667 donors.
“The participation of our community in Giving Day is truly inspiring,” said Floyd Merryman III, President of the Pamplin Advisory Council (PAC). “While Giving Day lasts only 24 hours, its impact on our programs, students, and initiatives extends throughout the year. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this incredible success and for helping build a Next-Gen Pamplin.”
Giving Day was established in 2018 to help build a culture of annual fund loyalty giving to the university in the spirit of Ut Prosim by our students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends. Everyone’s participation in Giving Day makes a difference to the overall student experience and opportunities we can provide our students and faculty. It is also a spirited and competitive 24 hours. Pamplin took a commanding lead with the most unique donors and was untouchable by other colleges and units. Things heated up immediately when Pamplin won the first university challenge, the Early Opening Sprint with the most donors in the first hour.
In contrast, the next highest overall number of unique donors at the university level was achieved by Student Affairs/Recreational Sports with 2,409 unique donors also signaling growing student involvement. The secret sauce of 2025’s Giving Day outcomes were tied to our students growing involvement and strong participation across the university. PRISM students also sustained their strong standing. And we had a new student organization joining the Pamplin Giving Day platform this year, Delta Sigma Pi, who made a strong showing, winning the student challenge, the area with the most current student donors (Class of 2025 to 2028) between 11 pm and midnight.
Our Pamplin students not only set a new standard for Pamplin’s overall number of unique donors, they also stood out across the university by taking the top placements for the University’s Senior Challenge: the top 3 areas that receive the most senior donors throughout Giving Day: Sales, PRISM, and the Marketing Annual Fund were the winners.
Not to be outdone by our exceptional students, our alumni, parents and friends also came through for Pamplin. Excluding the top Pamplin student participants in Giving Day, Pamplin still outpaced all other areas of the university with Athletics running a distant 3rd place (with 2,368 unique donors.)
When the clock ran out at noon for Giving Day 2025, Pamplin achieved third place (by less than $20,000 for a near second place) for most dollars raised. (Pamplin’s first place standing in dollars raised, successfully defended for 3 years, offers our alumni and broader community an incentive to give more next year.)
“It is a testament to the strong bond within our Pamplin community and the generosity of our alumni, faculty, staff, and students that we raised $2,489,198,” said Dean Saonee Sarker. “We are especially grateful to Ted (‘91) and Linda (‘89) Hanson for supporting the VT Advantage Giving Day Challenge, which unlocked $100,000 for the APEX Center for Entrepreneurs. And we are grateful to the volunteer leaders who donated $195,000 to sponsor the Leaderboard and other special incentives for our Giving Day Ambassadors to be inspired and encouraged to do outreach to their networks in support of Giving Day. Overall, $2,755,199 was raised, inclusive of challenge and leaderboard giving.
Those Pamplin leaders who supported the Giving Day Leaderboard through their philanthropy include:
Andy McCullough | Anonymous | Bridget Ryan-Berman | Brian Cook | Carman Liuzzo | CE Andrews | Chip Devine | Chris Xystros | Conrad Saldanha | Debbie Petrine | Don Halliwill | Don Neff | Floyd Merryman | Gary Cole | Greg Carter | Greg Thompson | Ivy Bryant | Jake Lutz | Jason Peay | Jim Pearman | Kendley Davenport | Kim Shanahan | Lisa Kay | Lynn Doughtie | M. Dwight Shelton | Mark Maloney | Matt Ogburn | Mike Clarke | Morgan Blackwood Patel | Nick Cullen | Richie Whitt | Shirley Edwards | Steve Pierson |Tracy Castle-Newman | Victor Vecchiariello
Giving Day closed out for Pamplin like it began with our winning the Final Countdown Challenge in the last hour of 2025 Giving Day. Thank you to all who participated, volunteered and gave towards helping our community create a strong culture of loyalty and giving back. It makes a difference.
Hokies helping Hokies.
