SEMO breaks funding record on annual ‘Giving Day’

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Southeast Missouri State University celebrated their annual giving day on March 20, 2025.

 The day encourages people to give back to their community through donating. 

This year the University says they received more than they ever have in donation funding. 

The Southeast Missouri State University collected $375,000 on giving day this year. A record high for the University.

Kristin Seabaugh is the annual Fund coordinator for Semo, she shares how the funding goes into the university. 

“We had 37 I think projects this year so it will range from athletics to student support, t the college of education to, human studies, all the different areas, the river campus so we touched every single part of campus” says Seabaugh.

Lili Harmon is a Senior at Semo. She shares how influential Giving Day is on the students of Semo.

“It was a great day for the University”, says Harmon. “It gives us a great chance to kind of show the public what were about and also just let the public kind of give back to their community and then give back if their alumni or their current students just to kind of make SEMO a little bit better.” 

Seabaugh says those who donate to the university are helping give back not only to the university but local college students.  

“And what that does is that is unrestricted dollars that we can use where its most needed” says Seabaugh. “So, if there’s a program that needs something last minute or there’s a new thing that we want to build or do those dollars is what we use and so the university fund is a great way to give back.” 

For more information on SEMO Giving Day SEMO to Host Annual Giving Day on March 20, 2025