Southern University System Foundation to launch 'Are You In?' campaign with virtual kickoff

Southern University System Foundation to launch 'Are You In?' campaign with virtual kickoff

The Southern University System Foundation will launch its 2026 "Are You In?" campaign with a virtual kickoff event on Thursday, May 28, from noon to 1 p.m. CT. This year's goal is to raise more than $25 million by the end of 2026.

This year's campaign, themed "From Southern and Beyond," marks the beginning of a 90-day campaign aimed at uniting the Southern University community to give, advocate and support each of the Southern University System's five campuses - Southern University and A&M College, Southern University Law Center, Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Southern University at New Orleans, and Southern University at Shreveport - institution's legacy of excellence.

This year's theme highlights Southern University's contributions to space exploration and its national impact, from producing some of the first African American engineers at NASA to preparing students who are now working alongside industry leaders such as Boeing and NASA.

The program will be hosted by Nicolette Gordon, general manager of WSUB The Bluff, Southern University's radio station. Featured panelists include:

• Morgan M. Watson, one of the first African American engineers at NASA and a Southern University alumnus;
• Lealon L. Martin, Ph.D., dean of the College of Sciences and Engineering at Southern University and A&M College; and
• Jeremy Plater, a Southern University alumnus and quality assurance specialist at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility.

Current Southern University students participating in Boeing and NASA partnerships will also share their experiences.

The campaign will run through SU Give Day on Thursday, Aug. 27. Funds raised will support student scholarships, faculty research and program grants, campus operations and capital improvements.

The event will stream live from the Valdry Center for Philanthropy on Southern University's campus via Facebook and sus.edu.

For more information or to support the campaign, visit sugiveday.org.