What is Giving Day?
VT Giving Day is Virginia Tech's official 24-hour annual fundraising event. The 2026 event took place February 18–19, 2026 (noon to noon EST). While Giving Day 2026 has ended, you can still support VTID students year-round by donating to the Virginia Tech Industrial Design Annual Fund. All donations, whether during Giving Day or throughout the year, fund student awards that remove financial barriers and recognize community contributions.​​
Why your support matters
Financial barriers shouldn't determine which students can access transformative educational experiences. Yet the reality is that many VTID students face difficult choices: skip an immersive learning opportunity because they can't afford travel costs, miss out on professional development experiences, or struggle to focus on their education while managing overwhelming financial stress.
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Your donation directly addresses these barriers:
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Travel Awards remove financial obstacles to immersive, experiential learning opportunities. These kinds of transformative experiences are linked by research to stronger early-stage career outcomes. Past recipients have shared that without financial support, these opportunities would have been out of reach or created significant financial burden, preventing them from fully engaging in experiences that shaped their professional perspectives.
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Needs-Based Assistance provides meaningful financial relief to students facing economic hardship, helping offset college expenses so they can focus on their education rather than financial survival.
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When students have access to the financial support they need, they graduate better prepared, more connected, and ready to contribute to the design profession.
Our 2026 goals
This year, our goal was to raise $8,500 from 100 individual donors to fund student awards that remove financial barriers and recognize community contributions:
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Travel Awards: Support for immersive and experiential learning experiences
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Needs-Based Assistance: Financial relief for students facing economic hardship
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Service Recognition: Recognition for students who strengthen our community through leadership and advocacy
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Once the university has calculated and shared official fundraising numbers with us, we will share the total amount raised and how those funds directly supported VTID students through these award programs. The 2026 award recipients who directly benefited from this year's Giving Day fundraising will be announced following the School of Design Award Ceremony in late April.
How to support
To donate to VTID at any point throughout the year, visit the Virginia Tech Giving portal and make sure the following are selected:
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Area: College of Architecture, Arts, and Design
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Fund: Industrial Design Annual Fund​​​​
Other ways to give
Not every contribution has to be financial. If you want to help spread the word, here are a few low-lift ways to make an impact:
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Ask about matching: Many companies — especially larger ones — offer donation matching for registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Virginia Tech qualifies. Not sure? Ask your HR team or manager — it goes a long way.
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Share at work: If your company doesn’t match, that’s okay. Consider giving the campaign a quick mention in an all-hands, team chat, or casual email. It doesn’t have to be a big moment — just a personal note and a link can help others get involved.
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Tell your story: If you benefited from student support — or wish you had — that’s a story worth sharing. Maybe you missed a study abroad program due to cost, or worked through college to stay afloat. Your story can help others understand why this matters.
Questions
Have a question or want to get involved? Reach out anytime at vt.idab@gmail.com — we’re happy to help.