One Day for STATE: A Decade of Difference-Making

One Day for STATE is a testament to what can happen when momentum becomes a movement, when charitable giving becomes a celebration and when trying something new becomes tradition.

The “something new” was the concept of an annual giving day, a 24-hour whirlwind of a fundraiser designed to rally Jackrabbits near and far to support their favorite causes at SDSU. Established in 2017, One Day for STATE was created when a small team of organizers took a leap of faith with an inaugural event, encouraging the yellow and blue community to play a pivotal role in preserving what they love most about SDSU. Students, staff, alumni and friends around the globe responded with enthusiasm and unprecedented generosity, and One Day for STATE solidified into a treasured tradition that has reached countless milestones and inspired record levels of philanthropy. The 10th annual giving day is scheduled for Sept. 10, 2026, rounding out a decade of what has become one of the university’s most impactful days of the year. 

Fueled by connection and common ground, One Day for STATE is a primary source of Jackrabbits spirit, and the scale of the event has steadily grown with each passing year. The second annual giving day in 2018 incorporated the Yellow and Blue Block Party, a key tenet of the celebration and a crowd-favorite chance to gather on the Alumni Green and soak in the excitement of the day. By 2019, One Day for STATE reached a landmark fundraising total that organizers could have barely dreamed of just a few years before, raising $1 million in one day. While the Covid-19 pandemic shifted the 2020 event online, it also sparked the addition of Jack’s Journey, an opportunity for the university’s beloved mascot to cruise through Brookings and safely bring the hoopla right to the community’s front doors; Jack’s Journey continues to take place each year on the eve of One Day for STATE.  

Though SDSU’s annual giving day amounts to far more than numbers, the results speak for themselves: By 2022, the event had shattered records by raising $2 million. By 2025, that record was in the rearview mirror as One Day for STATE marked over $3 million raised in just 24 hours. The grand total climbs year after year, with the event cumulatively raising over $16.7 million for SDSU. While those numbers are impressive, the event is transformational not because of the dollars raised but by the people reached. One Day for STATE is a call to action, serving as a rallying cry for Jackrabbits near and far, and the yellow and blue community never fails to answer the call. Since 2021, One Day for STATE has consistently reached over 5,000 donors each year — a far cry from the event’s initial goal to reach 500 donors in 2017.  

“Looking back, none of us could have predicted how deeply One Day for STATE would impact our campus,” reflected Erin Glidden, an original organizer of the event who serves as vice president for creative and data strategies at the SDSU Alumni & Foundation. “Because of the early donors, campus partners and students who embraced its energy, it’s become something far bigger than a giving day — it’s 24 hours each year when our community comes together to celebrate what private support makes possible for our university and our Jackrabbits.” 

Driven by social ambassadors spreading the word online, challenge donors inspiring others to join the movement, alumni motivated by unparalleled loyalty and a family of students and staff united in a common goal, One Day for STATE has become an invaluable channel for Jackrabbits philanthropy. Dollars raised from the event support vital programs, student groups and organizations, academic scholarships, athletic teams and every aspect of SDSU that defines the university’s margin of excellence. Many groups and programs simply wouldn’t be possible without the event, relying on One Day for STATE for a pivotal influx of dollars to their annual budgets. 

As President Barry H. Dunn '75/M.S. '77/Ph.D. '00 explained, SDSU’s giving day not only transforms campus but shapes the culture of generosity alive and well at State. “I sincerely believe that One Day for STATE will go down in the history of our university as a critical cornerstone for the future success of SDSU,” Dunn said. “It set us on a new and exciting path of how we communicate, cultivate support and present ourselves to stakeholders, students, donors and the whole world.”  

Since 2017, One Day for STATE has proven to be a priceless event, made truly special by the people who stretch its reach and potential to new heights, year after year. On its 10th anniversary, the day is a testament to how generosity becomes tradition, a celebration of how far the Jackrabbits community has come, and a glimpse at the remarkable momentum possible when the yellow and blue family works together.

Written by SDSU Alumni & Foundation