Today, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, marks the start of Eastern Michigan University's annual Giving True Day fundraising campaign, joining people and businesses around the world in celebrating Giving Tuesday, an annual global generosity initiative celebrated the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
The project was launched in 2012 in the United States and has become a tradition for companies to participate in philanthropic activities. Now, non-profit organizations, businesses and governments collaborate in over 80 countries around the world.
EMU celebrates the holiday with its own campaign, Giving True Day, based on the "True EMU" advertising series. The EMU Foundation supports efforts to raise funds for a variety of university programs.
"Giving True Day is really an opportunity for our EMU community to give back," said Markie Heidman, the Foundation's director of advancement communications.
In 2024, 1,110 participants contributed to the improvement of student programs through Giving True Day and the university raised $2 million. EMU has a goal of 1,200 participants in 2025.
The EMU Foundation encourages community members to share the university's campaign with friends, family and social media, with the hashtag #GivingTrueDay.
"Your voice is your power," Heidman said. "Even if you're not able to monetarily support on Giving True Day, sharing the opportunities and sharing ways to give back with your connections ... is a really, really powerful way to give back."
Dozens of programs are raising money for their improvement and continuation.
"On Giving True Day we have more than 30 crowd funds open, that gives folks a chance to contribute to different areas across the university," Heidman said. "There's an opportunity for everyone to find a fund that matches their interests or passions and their values and give back."
The university programs and causes participating in the Giving True Day campaign include:
- Supporting refugee students
- Field studies for entrepreneurs
- Making MAGIC for students in need
- Advancing first-generation student success
- EMU Therapy Dogs Fund
- Center for Jewish Studies donation match
- Michigan FCCLA leadership campaign
- DECA
- The future of Black business leaders
- International Student Association Cultural Programming
- Africology & African American Studies
- TRIO Upward Bound program
- Mock Trial donation match
- Geology field experience
- YpsiWrites: mental wellness
- EMU Interior Design Program
- Textbook Affordability Drive
- EMU Student Journalism
- Grad Gives Back - College of Business donation match
- The Honors College
- Level Up Esports
- Michigan BPA
- EMU Social Work Emergency Fund
- Director's Circle
- Partners in Education
- Swoop's Pantry
Sports programs that are participating include:
- Baseball
- Gymnastics
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Swim & Dive
- Volleyball
- Women's Basketball
- Soccer
- Cross Country
- Track & Field
- Cheerleading
Those interested in supporting The Eastern Echo and student journalism can make a donation to the program online. Contributions support The Eastern Echo with uniforms for events, press materials and scholarships.
"We have a goal this coming year of supplying every reporter that joins our team with an AP stylebook of their own," said Christine Uthoff, The Eastern Echo's student media advisor and EMU journalism lecturer. "Not only does the stylebook say how we should use certain words, but it also has a guide in the back about libel and a guide about how to cover certain ideas and different things. It's really the standard and we wrap our coverage around following that standard for journalism all across the nation."
Those looking to learn more about Giving True Day's campaigns can check out give.emich.edu.
"Every gift matters," Heidman said. "We're not necessarily looking for any certain size donation, your generosity is important to us. Gifts of all sizes are really important."
