On Jan. 22, a class of Interior Design students were told at 10 AM that if they could raise $500 in an hour for their Vernissage, a donor would match the $500.
Chris Adam of the Office of Sustainability shared a story with them about a Community, Recreation and Leadership Training class that raised over $2,000 in an hour many years ago to get the Peace Garden project started.
Chris, who was visiting the class to share how they could make their Vernissage a zero-waste event, told the story and then challenged the Interior Design students to fundraise and contact their friends and family by phone, text and social media.
The class took the challenge to heart and got very busy. They began keeping track of the pledges and donations on the class white board. One hour later, by 11 AM, the class had raised $6,716, according to teacher Meghan Waugh. The funds are more than double what was fundraised last year with various activities over several months for the Interior Design Vernissage.
"All in all, this experience has taught me that our families and friends are always eager and willing to help," said student Hafsah Elbatal. "No matter what it is, our loved ones are constantly there for us because of the trust and bond we've built with them over time. No amount of thank you's could represent how truly grateful we are as a class."
"When Chris challenged us, my first thought was, How are we ever going to raise that much money in just an hour?'" said student Jana Gheryani. "To my amazement, we surpassed the goal in under 10 minutes. Chris's challenge pushed us to believe in ourselves and in what we stand for. This wasn't just about our exhibition it was about showing that a successful event can also prioritize the environment and embrace zero-waste. It's a reminder that we all have the power to make a difference and leave the world better than we found it."
"What I have learned, and keep on learning," Chris said, "is that students thrive for authentic methods that challenge them. The ripples of positive messaging that continue to flow from this class and their commitment to helping others and the planet embodies Dawson's core value of well-being for all."
