Giving Day

Save the date: Giving Day is coming back for its 10th anniversary on April 8, 2027!

MAKE A GIFT TO BEREA STUDENTS
$247,222

Dollars Raised

71/40

Scholarships Raised

Our students are thanking you for a successful Giving Day

Why Give?

You make it possible for Berea to provide more than 1,500 Tuition Promise Scholarships annually to every Berea student. Support like yours ensures that young scholars from Appalachia and beyond can follow their dreams of attaining a high-caliber education without the heavy burden of tuition.

Giving Challenges

Challenges inactive [MATCHES MET!]

A friend of Berea with deep roots in Kentucky was inspired by today's Giving Day energy and stepped up with a last-minute $10,000 matching gift. She asked that we use this moment to lift up the words of bell hooks, who believed that education can be a practice of freedom, and that love must be at the center of how we build our communities. That's Berea. That's what your gift supports. Give now and your impact is doubled.

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As Giving Day comes to a close, an anonymous donor is matching the final $10,000 in online gifts. This is our last chance today to push toward $150,000 in online gifts and complete 40 Tuition Promise Scholarships that open doors for the next generation of Bereans. If you’ve been waiting to give—or hoping to give again—now is the moment. Your gift is their future.

Challenge inactive [MATCH MET!]

For the next 50 donors, an anonymous supporter will give $500 for every person who gives—up to $25,000. That means your participation matters just as much as your gift amount. Every donor helps unlock more support for 40 Tuition Promise Scholarships. Your gift is their future.

Challenge inactive [MATCH MET!]

Dr. Marcus Patton ’65 is launching Giving Day by matching the first $50,000 in online gifts dollar for dollar. A proud Berea alumnus from deep Appalachia in Hindman, Kentucky, Dr. Patton believes deeply in the promise of access and opportunity that defines the College. His own journey reflects the transformative power of a Berea education, particularly for students from Appalachian communities. Today, that lifelong belief is being turned into meaningful action, creating new opportunities and opening doors for the next generation of students. Every gift you make this morning goes twice as far toward our goal of $150,000 to complete 40 Tuition Promise Scholarships.

A group of Berea students are posing, smiling at the camera on the Alumni Fields patio.
Female student smiling at the camera while holding a folder
Three students pose with Blue, the Berea mascot, on the Quad at a Giving Day event.

Frequently Asked Questions

Each year the extended Berea College community—from near and far—comes together for a 24-hour fundraising event in support of Berea’s inspiring mission. Alumni, friends, organizations, faculty, staff, and even students give to show their love of Berea Beloved, where students are worth more than the tuition they can afford.

Most Giving Day gifts are made to the Berea Fund, which completes Tuition Promise Scholarships for those currently studying on campus. The Berea Fund is our most critical need every year. We must raise about $3,500 per student to make a no-tuition education possible for every Berea student. 

Some donors also choose to support other initiatives on Giving Day. Learn more here. 

We hope to raise enough support to complete 40 Tuition Promise Scholarships (which equates to about $150,000). 

I’m so glad you asked! The first step is to make a gift on April 9, 2026. Then, you can make this Giving Day have an even greater impact for Berea by helping us spread the word. Please visit our social media toolkit to learn more. 

You can make your gift online when Giving Day is happening, on April 9, 2026.

While Giving Day is primarily an online fundraising effort, please contact Brent Riley, Donor Services Manager, who can help you make other gifts towards Giving Day at 859-985-3012 or by email at rileym@berea.edu. 

Yes, we accept donations with an international address. Please make sure your country of residence is correct on the donation form. If you encounter issues with international giving, please email Brent Riley at rileym@berea.edu.

Berea College is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization under tax guidelines making your gift tax-deductible. Gifts made online will receive an email confirmation with a receipt for tax purposes. 

Your gift will go to the area or fund you designate. Dollars from challenge gifts will be distributed to the Berea Fund to complete Tuition Promise Scholarships for students. 

If you still have a question, please give us a call at 800-457-9846 or send us an email at berea_fund@berea.edu.

Join the Conversation

Use social media to spread the word about the mission of Berea College to help us complete 40 scholarships for deserving Berea students on Giving Day, April 9. Here is how you can make an impact:

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