UCSD - University of California - San Diego

05/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/20/2026 09:31

2026 Triton Giving Day Breaks Records, Raising $1.1 Million

Story by:

Media contact:

Published Date

May 20, 2026

Article Content

Together, we did it! This year, Triton Giving Day inspired extraordinary support from the UC San Diego community, raising a record $1.1 million, a 65% increase over last year. A total of 4,055 gifts were made as part of the annual 24-hour online fundraising effort held April 29. Gifts were made to 232 different funds and areas of campus, helping expand student opportunities, advance research, transform global health, strengthen athletics and support the campus's greatest needs.

UC San Diego alumni showed up in full force with 1,175 alumni contributing $534,347 including several alumni-focused challenges.

Thanks to the generosity of Shelley O'Connor '83 and Mark Kenney '91, the Alumni Inspiration Challenge unlocked $75,000 after 900 alumni donors made gifts to any fund. That milestone was further celebrated by Ping Yeh '99, MS '01, whose 900th Alumni Donor Match added a $1,000 boost to the 900th alumni donor's contribution. The Bornales Cravatt Family Momentum Challenge then helped propel the effort even further, inspiring the Triton community to reach a new goal of 1,000 alumni donors and unlocking an additional $10,000.

Across campus, 96 matching and challenge gifts helped increase donor participation and maximize impact. At a time when philanthropic support for research is more important than ever, research and discovery funds received 169 gifts totaling $54,086 to help fuel critical scientific and medical research.

This year's record-breaking results demonstrate what is possible when the Triton community comes together in support of UC San Diego. From gifts to support hundreds of areas across campus to challenges that inspired broader participation, Triton Giving Day reflects a shared commitment to the university's mission, students and future.

While Triton Giving Day 2026 has concluded, you can still make a difference with a gift to any area of campus. Visit UC San Diego Giving to learn more.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT UC SAN DIEGO »
UCSD - University of California - San Diego published this content on May 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 20, 2026 at 15:31 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]