$ 1,273,031 raised 1,051 Axe of Kindness

Elevate Academic Excellence has raised $ 96,689 from 93 Axe of Kindness!

Elevate Academic Excellence

Your support for Elevating Academic Excellence at NAU empowers you to directly impact the success of our students.

Every donation fuels innovative academic programs and transformative research opportunities that define the NAU experience. By funding these areas, you empower Lumberjacks to pursue groundbreaking discoveries and scholarly achievements.

NAU’s commitment to Elevating Academic Excellence drives our mission to cultivate leaders, thinkers, and problem-solvers prepared to tackle global challenges. Your generosity plays a crucial role in advancing academic programs that foster critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration—preparing students to thrive in professional landscapes and drive positive change in our world.

Join Our Mission on Giving Day

Join us in elevating academic excellence at NAU. Your investment in one or more of the areas below ensures that every student has the support and resources they need to reach their full potential and make a lasting impact in their communities and beyond.

Elevate Venture Studio

Elevate Graduate and Professional Studies at NAU

Elevate NAU Online

Elevate Cline Library

Elevate NAU Yuma

Elevate NAU Academic and Workforce Alliances

Office of Native American & Indigenous Advancement

Last Chance!

From Idea to Impact: The Venture Studio Challenge

$25,000

From Idea to Impact: The Venture Studio Challenge

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.

11 / 15 Gifts

Open New Chapters: The Cline Library Challenge Complete

But you can still make a gift!

$25,000

Open New Chapters: The Cline Library Challenge

Thanks to the generous support of donors – LIKE YOU – we’ve unlocked $25,000 for the Cline Library. And thank you to 1899 Society member Pam Neal from the Neal Family Trust for providing this NAU Giving Day challenge.

15 / 15 Gifts

Completed

Opportunity Starts Here: The NAU Yuma Challenge Complete

But you can still make a gift!

$1,000

Opportunity Starts Here: The NAU Yuma Challenge

Thanks to the generous support of donors – LIKE YOU – we’ve unlocked $1,000 for the Yuma Student Success Center. And thank you to Don Willits, ’11 for providing this NAU Giving Day challenge.

10 / 10 Gifts

Completed

Leaderboard

Lumberjack Class Spirit Leaderboard

Join your fellow Lumberjacks from every decade as they rally their classmates to support NAU! Check back to see which decade is leading the charge in philanthropy, celebrating the most generous alumni who are making a difference across the years.

Alumni, rally your classmates!

Rank	Answer	Gifts
1	1990s	62
2	2000s	53
3	2010s	49
4	1980s	45
5	1970s	36
6	2020s	34
7	1960s	6
8	1950s & Earlier	1

Last Chance!

From Learning to Earning: The Academic and Workforce Alliances Challenge

$1,755

From Learning to Earning: The Academic and Workforce Alliances Challenge

Vice Provost Yvonne Luna and AVPs Marjaneh Gilpatrick, Brenda Sipe, and Jersus Colmenares ’08 invite you to help bridge the gap between classroom learning and career success. Once 10 gifts are made to the NAU Workforce Development Fund, the NAU Statewide Impact Fund, or the 100% Career Ready Fund, their collective $1,755 gift will be unlocked to further support these areas. Your gift helps students build the skills, confidence, and experiences they need to transition from college to meaningful careers and lasting community impact. Make your gift today and help prepare Lumberjacks to thrive in the workforce.

9 / 10 Gifts

Rooted in Success: The Office of Native American & Indigenous Advancement Challenge Complete

But you can still make a gift!

$50,000

Rooted in Success: The Office of Native American & Indigenous Advancement Challenge

Thanks to the generous support of donors – LIKE YOU – we’ve unlocked $50,000 for the Office of Native American & Indigenous Advancement. And thank you to Penny Emerson, ’80 for providing this NAU Giving Day challenge.

20 / 20 Gifts

Completed

Leaderboard

Areas of Impact

This leaderboard reflects the transformative impact of your generosity, elevating essential initiatives across NAU. Your contributions directly support groundbreaking research, student scholarships, and innovative programs that shape the future of our university.

Rank	Department	Raised
1	The W. A. Franke College of Business	$57,650.00
2	College of Education	$23,496.00
3	Elevate Swim & Dive	$20,146.00
4	Elevate the College of Health & Human Services	$13,010.00
5	Student Affairs	$10,425.00
6	Elevate Cline Library	$9,875.00
7	Student Financial Aid	$9,205.00
8	College of Social and Behavioral Sciences	$8,852.00
9	Elevate Women's Golf	$8,320.00
10	Elevate Men's Tennis	$7,840.00
11	Elevate Maria and Steve Sanghi College of Nursing	$7,225.00
12	Elevate Women's Tennis	$7,205.00
13	Elevate the Honors College	$6,775.00
14	Elevate Mathematics & Statistics	$6,710.00
15	Elevate the Early Learning & Development Center	$6,495.00

Leaderboard

Lumberjack Community Engagement Leaderboard

This leaderboard celebrates the invaluable support from our broader community, showcasing the number of donors based on their relationship to NAU. Together, we elevate engagement and build a stronger future for NAU, uniting donors, partners, and friends to advance educational opportunities and community impact.

Help us unlock matching challenges and increase the impact of your gift! What is your connection to NAU?