College Football Rivalry Reaches Young Donors Via Technology

Long-standing rivalry between Lehigh and Lafayette hopes to increase alumni participation

BETHLEHEM, Pa., Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, the most played football rivalry in college history will take place for the 146th time in Pennsylvania. Lehigh University and Lafayette College, located in Bethlehem and Easton respectively, are hoping to capitalize on emotions and sentiment to reach new donors and increase engagement of young alumni.

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Together both schools boast enrollment of fewer than 10,000 students. Thousands of alumni, students and friends of both colleges will visit or watch from locations inside and outside of the country.

Both schools are hoping thousands give online or via text as well.  To capitalize on the long-standing rivalry, both schools have created a competition to see who can obtain more donors leading up to and during the game.

"This competition between the two schools is what we call 'strategic philanthropy'," said Dr. Jill Brown, assistant professor in Lehigh's department of management and an Axelrod Family Endowed Fellow.  "Strategic philanthropy ties into the identities of the people involved – in this case the alumni - and has a social and economic impact.  In this case, both schools are benefitting from loyalty and the universities are able to gain new identities through their marketing efforts."

"The premise is simple," says Bob Wolfenden, assistant vice president for alumni relations at Lehigh University.  "Bragging rights go to the institution with the greatest number of alumni who make an annual gift leading up to the game."  Messages about "defending Lehigh's honor" are being sent to young alumni and will be distributed via Lehigh's Facebook pages and Twitter account.

Lafayette is also using social media to promote the challenge.  "The giving challenge is a great way to increase alumni participation, particularly from our recent graduates, while adding to the storied rivalry between Lafayette and Lehigh," says Jamie Hughes, executive director of Lafayette's Maroon Club. "The competitive nature of both alumni bases will make this challenge more fun and exciting, which ultimately is what we want philanthropy to be for donors."

Updates on the fundraising will be provided on a Web site shared by both schools - www.LLChallenge.com - and the winning school will be announced during the game.

SOURCE Lehigh University