Rising Tide Kicks Off Annual Campaign

Students dropping money into the Rising Tide elephant bank.
The 2015 Rising Tide Scholarship campaign begins September 14.

From the September 2015 Desktop News | A student-led scholarship campaign aimed at raising $25,000 kicks off on Monday, Sept. 14 for the 2015-2016 school year. Last year, the campaign raised more than $4,700 for the Rising Tide Scholarship, which will provide a helping hand to students facing a variety of obstacles or challenges.

Led by UA’s College of Arts and Sciences Ambassadors, this multi-year campaign asks all students in the College of Arts and Sciences to donate $1 to the scholarship to help students in need. The campaign will include on-campus events and donation centers, promotions on social media, and spirit nights at local restaurants the week of Sept. 14-18. A kick-off event was held at the Ferguson Center Plaza on Monday, Sept. 14 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Ambassadors co-president Justin Lomax said he hopes to surpass last year’s efforts to help students in need. The Ambassadors must raise a total of $25,000 to endow the scholarship, ensuring that it will provide scholarships indefinitely.

Serving as the face of the campaign is a nearly 6-foot-wide, 4-foot-tall, elephant-shaped bank made of wood and Plexiglas, dubbed “Little Al.” Students, faculty, staff, and visitors on campus are encouraged to look for the elephant and drop $1 inside. Students can also make donations by swiping their ACTion cards at the donation centers set up near the elephant or by donating to the Rising Tide Endowed Scholarship online.

Restaurants around Tuscaloosa have also joined the cause. These restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds to the scholarship fund on the following days and times:

  • Glory Bound Gyro Co., Monday, Sept. 14, 4 p.m.–close
  • McAllister’s (15th Street location only), Thursday, Sept. 17, 5–9 p.m.

In addition to these “Spirit Night” events, the campaign will offer free food, gift cards, Arts and Sciences swag, and more at daily events on campus:

  • Monday, Sept. 14, 8:30–10:30 a.m., Ferguson Plaza
  • Tuesday, Sept. 15, 1:30–3:30 p.m., Gorgas Library steps
  • Wednesday, Sept. 16, 8:30–10:30 a.m., the Quad (southeast corner)
  • Thursday, Sept. 17, 12:30–2:30 p.m., Ferguson Plaza
  • Friday, Sept. 18, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Promenade (near Woods Quad)

These events were made possible by the generosity of the campaign’s community partners: Another Broken Egg, Chipotle, Cold Stone Creamery, Dunkin’ Donuts, Evangeline’s, Gigi’s Cupcakes, Innisfree, Krispy Kreme, Mug Shots, Red Lobster, Starbucks, Steel City Pops, Taco Mama, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, The Levee, and Tropical Smoothie Café.

For more information, visit Arts and Sciences Student Services on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/as.stuservices) and Twitter (@AS_StuServices), or contact Allison Verhine, director of college honors and endowment accounts, at 205-348-7009 or allison.verhine@ua.edu.