NAU Giving Day 2026

Help us build momentum on Giving Day and show the strength of the Lumberjack alumni community! Once 300 alumni donors make a gift on #NAUGivingDay, the NAU Alumni Association Board will unlock a collective $6,200 challenge gift in support of NAU students and programs. Thank you to the following Alumni Association Board members for making this challenge possible: Blaise Caudill ’13; Dave Cook, ‘91; Trina George, ’09; Alex Gutierrez, '85 '90; Jana Harper, ’90; Veronica Hipolito, '97, '02; Jim Jayne, ’91; Mary O'Driscoll, ’82; Nancy Serenbetz, '75; Stephanie Smith, ’04; Maggie Thom, ’12; and (3) anonymous members. Make your alumni gift today, help reach the milestone, and show that Lumberjacks are always True Blue. WE Are Lumberjacks!

This NAU Giving Day, you can help strengthen the Lumberjack community by supporting NAU’s Lumberjacks Thrive program. This unique initiative connects students with NAU alumni mentors, creating meaningful career connections and powerful professional development experiences that help students thrive long after graduation. Once 25 gifts are made to the Wilson Family Lumberjacks Thrive Program Fund, a generous $115,000 gift from Greg, ’82 and Nancy, ‘82 Wilson will be unlocked to further expand this life-changing program. Every gift moves us closer to unlocking this extraordinary support and creating even more opportunities for Lumberjacks to grow, connect, and succeed. Make your gift today and help unlock the Wilson family’s transformational challenge gift! #WeAreLumberjacks

At NAU Venture Studio, students don’t just study entrepreneurship—they build it. Through immersive experiences like the Lean Startup Semester Series and the new NAU Sandbox, students work in interdisciplinary teams to test ideas, build ventures, and develop the real-world skills that set them apart after graduation. NAU alumnus and Foundation Board member Bill Heibel, ’70, is helping fuel that momentum with a $25,000 challenge gift, which will be unlocked once 15 gifts are made to the Venture Studio Fund. Your support provides the mentorship, tools, prototyping resources, and student fellowships that turn bold ideas into real ventures. Thank you to Bill for providing this NAU Giving Day challenge. Make your gift today and help launch the next generation of innovators, founders, and problem-solvers at NAU.

This NAU Giving Day help grow the future of philanthropy at NAU. Once 600 first-time donors make a gift on #NAUGivingDay, the NAU Foundation Board will unlock a collective $46,000 impact gift in support of NAU students, programs, and opportunities. Thank you to the following NAU Foundation Board members for making this challenge possible: George Adams, ‘74; Lisa Bagwell, ‘89; Eric Baker, ‘86; Bob Braudy; Robin Braun, ‘77; Booker Evans, Jr., ‘69; Bill Heibel, ‘70; Mary Huntley; Tim Kinney, ‘82; Nick Lobejko; Tom Perkins, ‘80; Rick Rodriguez, ‘84; Steve Sanghi, 19 & Maria Sanghi; Dennis Wilson, ‘79; and (1) anonymous member. Make your first gift—or inspire someone else to give—and help welcome 600 new donors into the Lumberjack community. WE Are Lumberjacks!

This NAU Giving Day, a group of nine dedicated alumni is coming together to inspire fellow Lumberjacks to give back. Once we reach 450 alumni gifts on #NAUGivingDay, their collective $30,000 challenge gift will be unlocked to advance learning, leadership, and campus excellence. This challenge is a powerful reminder of what happens when Lumberjacks come together to invest in the next generation. Thank you to the following alumni for making this challenge possible: Georgia Bernheim, ‘74; Tim, ’84, and Tracee Dwyer, ‘84; Selina Gilbertson, ‘13; Jeff Sears, ‘98; Margaret Steiger, ‘14; Wayne Watson, ‘84; Keith Wenzel, ‘87; and (1) proud alumni from class of 2017. Make your alumni gift today and help unlock this incredible show of alumni pride and impact. Go Jacks!