NKU to celebrate Founders’ Day with 1,968 minutes of giving

March 8, 2024 - Northern Kentucky University will celebrate its Founders’ Day and 56th birthday with 1,968 minutes (the year of NKU’s founding) of giving. Founders’ Day will begin at 8:00 a.m. on March 13 and run through 4:48 p.m. on March 14 and also includes a birthday party for the university!

It’s a day (days this year) focused on all things Norse – an occasion to share one’s pride and give back to NKU.

The day of celebration will feature a series of matches and challenges for alumni, faculty, staff, students and community members to maximize their impact and donate to their favorite department, scholarship fund, Norse team or student-support initiative. Local businesses are also pitching in to support the day of giving, including AAA Club Alliance, which is donating four round-trip Delta Air Lines tickets to anywhere in the continental U.S. Anyone who donates will be entered into a drawing to win two tickets. In addition, two tickets will be awarded to the Founders’ Day Ambassador who raises the most dollars on Founders’ Day.

“This is the perfect way to honor our founders and celebrate how far NKU has come as a university,” says NKU President Dr. Cady Short-Thompson. “Together, we can honor the vision of our founders and help NKU move towards an even brighter future for generations to come.”

This is the fourth year NKU has celebrated Founders’ Day. Last year, thanks to over 950 donors, we raised $361,526 benefiting academic programs, scholarships, student support services and student-life experiences. 

“This year’s theme allows us even more time to celebrate all things NKU,” shares Amy Wylie (’92), senior director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving. “It is a day our Norse pride really shines. It’s exciting to see the impact our Norse community continues to have on our students’ success when we come together.”

To learn more about Founders’ Day and the complete schedule of challenges, or to make a gift, go to the Founders’ Day webpage.