On Wednesday, scores of students paused as they entered the School of Public Health, delighted by what they saw: Giving Day, the university’s annual day of donations, had begun and to mark the occasion, SPH staff shared Maryland Dairy ice cream, stickers and QR codes to make a donation.
Over 24 hours, 256 students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends from across the SPH community raised $217,876 for SPH and its funds. UMD as a whole raised $9,421,707 from nearly 10,000 donors.
SPH funds also unlocked several bonus prizes, including an extra $1,000 per prize for the most parent and family donors between 9-10 a.m., most alumni donors between 7-8 p.m. and most student donors between 9-10 p.m. SPH funds also earned $250 prizes for the Tiny Terp Photo Challenge and Giving Day Kickoff and a pre-Giving Day photo challenge, the latter two for the George F. Kramer Endowed Program Support Fund for Gymkana, a program celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.
In fact, the day kicked off a new program endowment established to support Gymkana in memory of the program's beloved "father figure" and former director, Dr. George F. Kramer. The endowment was supported by the day’s largest gift to an SPH fund, given by Gymkana alumnus Warren Hull '11. (Read more about Hull in this Maryland Today feature story.)
People contributed to a wide variety of causes, from helping students facing emergencies to boosting SPH departments and labs. Every donation counted toward Forward: The University of Maryland Campaign for the Fearless.
“The University of Maryland School of Public Health has a really spectacular community. They show up for each other, and they show up for public health. We see that every Giving Day - and every day,” said Dean Boris Lushniak. “With the funds people have generously donated, we can continue to support essential programs that advance public health education and research.”
Princess Uzor is a current MPH student and recipient of the Robin Mockenhaupt Endowed Student Award. “I’m here because I want to make a meaningful difference in public health,” she said in a video. “Receiving this scholarship has lifted a tremendous weight. Working two jobs to fund graduate school has been challenging.”
And though Giving Day 2026 has passed, the opportunity to further SPH students and public health goals is always open. Check out our SPH Giving page for more.