In celebration of the 250th anniversary of its founding, the College of Charleston will hold its first-ever CofC Day event on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. A day of giving aimed at generating excitement and support for the institution’s future, CofC Day provides students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the College with the opportunity to give back.

CofC Day starts at midnight on Jan. 30, and the CofC community may kick the day off right by donating online through the CofC Day website. In addition to the giving campaign, there will be fun activities on campus throughout the day including the following:

9 a.m. – Breakfast with President Hsu on Cougar Mall

Noon – Pizza in the Cistern Yard at CofC Day Headquarters

2:50 p.m. – Ringing of the bells throughout Charleston to commemorate the College’s 250th anniversary

3:45 p.m. – The unveiling of a state historical marker on George Street, near Porter’s Lodge

3:50 p.m. – Chucktown Sound and CofC Cheerleaders performance in the Cistern Yard

4 p.m. – CofC Day ceremony, including recognition of the Founders’ Day Medal recipients

4:30 p.m. – Block party on George Street and the Cistern Yard

6 p.m. – CofC Alumni Clubs will hold CofC Day parties

6:30 p.m. – AFISHAL visual DJ performance

The CofC Day team will be hosting CofC Day Headquarters in the Cistern Yard from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Throughout the day, the team is encouraging members of the campus community to stop by and learn more about CofC Day, play some cornhole, grab a snack and pick up some CofC swag. The team can also help visitors learn how to increase their impact through challenge gifts.

Below are the challenges that will go into effect at midnight on Jan. 30:

  • Parents Challenge: A donor will offer $25,000 to match dollar-for-dollar all gifts made to the Parents’ Fund.
  • Student Success Center Challenge: Lorrie and Robert Roschman will contribute $50,000 toward the renovation of 58 George Street, the future home of the College’s Student Success Center, once alumni, parents and friends donate $25,000 toward the project.
  • Class of ’86 Challenge: Mitsy Mangum ’86 will offer $1,000 to match dollar-for-dollar gifts from fellow classmates to support the College of Charleston Fund.
  • School of the Arts Young Alumni Challenge: School of the Arts patrons Susan Bass and Tom Bradford, will offer $500 to match gifts to the School of the Arts Dean’s Excellence Fund from young alumni (Classes 2009–2019).
  • School of Business – Center for Entrepreneurship Challenge: Stewart Vernon ’02 and Shannon Vernon ’02 will offer $25,000 to match gifts in support of the School of Business Center for Entrepreneurship, which supports CofC students across all disciplines in the development of an entrepreneurial mindset through experiential activity.
  • Call Me MISTER Challenge: A donor will make a gift of $1,000 once $1,000 has been raised in support of the Call Me MISTER program, which increases the pool of minority male educators.
  • CofC Fund Challenge: Catriona Carlisle ’90 will contribute $1,500 to the College of Charleston Fund when 150 young alumni (classes 2009–2019) make a gift to the fund.
  • Class of ’09 Scholarship Challenge: Jeanmarie Tankersley ’09, a member of the College of Charleston Alumni Association Board of Directors, will match donations of up to $1,250 to the Class of 2009 Scholarship Fund.
  • Planned Giving Challenge: Parents Laura Ricciardelli and David Watt, Tav Swarat ’89, Blake Newitt Partridge ’90 and an anonymous member of the Class of 1993 have included the College of Charleston in their estate plans and are leading the College’s effort to raise 10 new planned gift intentions on CofC Day.

Those who participate in CofC Day are asked to share what the College of Charleston means to them on social media using the hashtags #CofC250 and #CofCDay.

CofC Day is shaping up to be a very exciting day online, around campus and for CofC alumni clubs around the world!