Noted actor and Academy award winner Denzel Washington is credited with the following: “At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished… it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”

That simple yet powerful statement could easily serve as the theme for an event upcoming on the campus of Northern Michigan University.

NMU will launch its inaugural fundraising-filled Giving Day on April 18.

The event will be focused on the importance of giving back to those around you. With more details yet to be announced, the NMU Foundation website said Giving Day will be giving back to departments and students and supporting community initiatives.

“The theme this year is ‘Give 2 What You Love’ because it’s an opportunity for faculty, staff and alumni to reflect on the career- and life-changing experiences they’ve had because of NMU, and to help ensure that similar opportunities remain available for current and future students by contributing a gift that will have two times the impact,” Andy Hill, director of annual giving, said for a Mining Journal story on the matter. “It’s also a chance for academic departments to advocate for their respective areas throughout the day.”

Hill said to mark the university’s 125th anniversary, the NMU Foundation will increase the impact of collective giving through a university-wide matching gift of up to $100,000 raised, and a total of $25,000 in financial awards to the top three academic departments with the highest level of participation.

The event will also coincide with the 28th annual Celebration of Student Scholarship, where undergraduate and graduate students present their work to others.

We support this program and believe it deserves the support of the community. Giving back is something all of us should do more of.

Perhaps this on-campus event will even serve as a catalyst for something of a renaissance of giving in the greater Marquette area.