April 20, 2021
The Shawnee State University Development Foundation’s President’s Gala will be held on Saturday, Apr. 24 in a virtual format. Held annually on campus to celebrate university achievements of the past year while raising support for various programs across campus, the President’s Gala brings together university administration, faculty, donors, alumni, and supporters from the surrounding community. This year’s President’s Gala, while held in a virtual format, will allow an opportunity for the campus community to celebrate together.
“We know this isn’t a normal President’s Gala by any means,” said Chris Moore, Executive Director of the SSU Development Foundation. “While we navigate these times, we still thought it was important to bring together our campus and donor community virtually to celebrate our students, our faculty, and our initiatives, while also raising funds for this cause.”
This year’s Gala will benefit the Friends of Shawnee Scholarship. Established in 2002, the scholarship fund has awarded more than $250,000 to over 250 students attending Shawnee State University. As a need in additional scholarship funding for Shawnee State students increases, the Friends of Shawnee Scholarship has increased its annual support by over 25% in the past two academic years – awarding more than $110,000 of its support since 2019.
Participants in this year’s Gala can choose to purchase a Gala Ticket or enter the Split the Pot Raffle. Those purchasing a ticket will receive the 2021 Gala Box – featuring items created by Shawnee State students and alumni in addition to student stories. Split the Pot Raffle Tickets are seven (7) for $100, three (3) for $50, or one (1) for $20. The winning ticket will receive half of the proceeds while the remaining amount will benefit the Friends of Shawnee Scholarship fund.
“The positive of hosting our Gala this way this year is that we have very little cost, allowing our donor’s gifts to make an absolute impact on the scholarship fund,” Moore said. “Thanks to the support of our generous sponsors, our individual tickets and raffle purchases are seeing 100% of their gifts to this event make an impact on our students and their success.”
Gala Tickets and the Split the Pot Raffle can be found online at ssugala.com. The deadline to enter the Split the Pot Raffle is Saturday, Apr. 24 at 5 p.m., with the raffle being livestreamed on the website at 7 p.m. that night. For additional information, contact the SSU Development Foundation at ssudf@shawnee.edu or (740) 351-3284.