Duquesne United Way Surpasses Goals, Sets Record

In its most effective United Way campaign to date, Duquesne has set new records in monetary giving, employee participation and number of campaign leaders.

Duquesne has raised $116,608, surpassing its goal by more than $31,000 and topping the previous campaign high of $109,647 reached in 2006. The campaign saw an almost 30 percent gain in overall participation rate from last year and a 50 percent gain in the number of campaign leaders.

“The campaign was championed by the many employee-sponsored events and initiatives created to support the drive,” said Mary McIntyre, chairperson. More than $8,000 was raised through the breast cancer awareness walk, hoagie sale, dunk booth, multiple coin collections, auctions, raffles, cupcake sales and dress down days.

McIntyre was touched by the many people who found ways to support the campaign and believes the recession may have affected much, but not Duquesne’s commitment to the community and to our fellow man.

“Many lives will be enriched thanks to the generosity of the campus community,” McIntyre said.

This year, McIntyre shifted the focus from total amount raised to increasing employee participation. The strategy worked. “We set out to increase the number of participants,” explained McIntyre, “and thus total gifts increased as well.”

With this success comes the fulfillment of the United Way challenge set forth by McIntyre and fellow committee member, Rod Dobish. McIntyre and Dobish intend to show off their new hairstyles at the Holiday Staff Awards Luncheon on Friday, Dec. 21.