��«Ӱҵ

In a parking lot across from the Cass Building on the evening of April 24, runners stretched, squatted and readjusted their Lululemon ahead��of ��«Ӱҵampa’s Give Day 5K Fun Run and Walk.��

The event was one of many commemorating ��«Ӱҵampa’s yearly Give Day, a fundraiser for the University’s Annual Fund that included the 5K, a Minaret Market, a finale celebration called Minarets at Sunset, virtual Minaret climbs and other activities.

This year’s Give Day occurred April 24-25, and by the time the buzz was over, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, volunteer boards and friends had donated $1,000,562 to help ��«Ӱҵampa continue its tradition of excellence through academic and need-based scholarships and programming and faculty development.

David Ramnarine ’09, M.S. ’16, director of annual giving and the Give Day race director, said the 200-plus entrants in the 5K doubled the number who ran in the inaugural event last year. The 5K is a way for anyone — including this year’s youngest runner, Jimmy Miller, age 9, from Lithia, whose mom brought him and his 10-year-old brother; track stars decked in their practice jerseys; stroller-pushers; and professors racing against their students — to participate in the Give Day slate of events. All entrants received a medal and T-shirt, and winners in categories like “most spirited” won prizes from Oxford Exchange, Starbucks, MacDinton’s Irish pub, American Social and more.

“I absolutely love it,” said Ramnarine. “It shows that they want to support our students. It shows their dedication. And I think they're all amazing people. I love them.”

The 5K course wound from the parking lot, around the front of the Grand Center, through Plant Park along the Hillsborough River, and wrapped around iconic campus locations like the Ars Sonora, ending�� at the infield of Pepin Stadium.

Declan Fiorucci ’28, who runs the 5K and mile for ��«Ӱҵampa track and cross country, was the first across the finish line. Fiorucci, an accounting major, said he probably couldn’t brag, at least to his teammates.

“They’d say, ‘I could beat you,’” he explained. The real victory for him, Fiorucci said, was seeing his friend, Cade Toohey ’28, who is also on the track team and came in second, “breaking 17 (minutes).”

Give Day events kicked off with the Minaret Market on the lawn outside the Sykes College of Business. Students and others bought jewelry, clothes, ornaments and snacks from 23 vendors who contributed 20% of their total revenue to Give Day. Alumni-owned businesses participating included KY Vintage, owned by Kyle Middleton ’15; Untamed CreationZ, owned by Amanda Hart ’22; and Clay by Kass, owned by Kass Tanguay ’17.

The virtual Minaret Climb took place over several weeks, honoring the longstanding student tradition of climbing the 61 winding steps up the narrow, at-times-only-15-inches-wide stairwell of a Plant Hall minaret. Virtual climbers do so from the comfort of their computers, soliciting donations from friends and other supporters.

Back at the 5K starting line, Kimberly (Copak) Barbosa ’06 said she felt like she “was in college again.” Barbosa passed by the spot on the river where she had her first kiss with her husband, who also entered the 5K with their 10-year-old son, Emanuel, to “support mom” during the race.

Emanuel was only sort-of excited to run — he was just happy to be there. His favorite part of the day, he said, was “seeing my mom’s school.”

��