Medical School Donors Set New Records on Give to the Max Day

Proud donors to the University of Minnesota Medical School shattered fundraising goals for “Give to the Max Day” in November, setting a new fundraising record for the Medical School of more than $36,000.

Compared to 2018, donor participation quadrupled to 178 total donors, and donor support increased five-fold, up from $7,000 donated last year.

“This year’s astounding support came from a collective mix of our alumni, friends, faculty, staff and yes, even 12 students on the Twin Cities campus,” said Medical School Dean Jakub Tolar, MD, PhD. “These gifts are investments in the great work we do—a vote of confidence from our biggest supporters both within and beyond the Medical School walls—that will make a difference in the year to come.”

Students will reap the largest benefit from donor support this year. Nearly 100 donors—more than half—contributed a total of $23,000 to two funds: The Future Physicians Scholarship Fund at the Twin Cities campus and the Next Generation Fund at the Duluth campus. Dr. Steven Kapla, class of 1989, donated a $5,000 match to the Future Physicians Scholarship Fund, which was used to double donors gifts on Give to the Max Day. Both funds can support medical students with pressing financial needs, like Mina Krenz (read her story here).

“I first want to thank Dr. Steven Kapla for allowing us to use his generosity as a way to inspire other donors on Give to the Max Day. The fact that we were able to raise more than $15,000 for student scholarships in addition to his gift only proves how much our community values our students and understands the financial burden they take on when they choose a career in medicine,” said Mark Rosenberg, MD, vice dean for Education and Academic Affairs and professor in the Department of Medicine. “Thank you all for making it that much more possible for our students to graduate and become the physicians our world needs most.”

Additional areas of support included various department funds and the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic, which is an interprofessional student-run clinic located in the Phillips Neighborhood of Minneapolis that provides healthcare services to men, women and children of all ages. 

Across the University system, more than 5,000 donors raised $7 million on the day of giving. To see all of the funds that received support, visit the University’s Give to the Max Day page.