Melissa Byrd

229 University Center

uptildawn@memphis.edu | @UTD_Memphis

FACT SHEET
LETS GET INVOLVED!

Chapter Overview

Organization Overview

The University of Memphis founded the original

Up til Dawn chapter and since has remained
one of the most successful fundraising chapters
across the country. The chapter has raised over
$1.5 million dollars in its 16 years of existence.
The chapter gives much of its success to the fact
that St. Jude is located in the heart of
downtown Memphis and the local public is very
involved.

Up til Dawn is a registered student organization

on many college campus throughout the
country that is devoted to educating the
community about St. Jude Childrens Research
Hospital and fundraising for the hospital
through multiple campus-wide activities and
events.

Who can get involved?

University of Memphis students and faculty looking to get involved with a worthy philanthropy
in their own backyard
Up til Dawn is comprised of traditional and non-traditional students as well as faculty advisors
and an executive board.

What is the purpose?

Up til Dawn raises money and awareness for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital through
campus-wide fundraisers and events; last year fundraising efforts brought in more than
$120,000 for the hospital.
Big scale fundraising events like the All-Team Meeting/Letter Writing Party, can average up to
$100,000 of funds in just one event.
The All-Team Meeting/ Letter writing party is a campus wide challenge to all students and
faculty to write as many letters as they can to people they know and/or
organizations/businesses who would be likely to donate.
There are many different fundraising techniques employed to yield high results, like candy cane
deliveries and silent auctions.

When does fundraising occur?

Up til Dawn raises money for St. Jude in both Fall and Spring semesters
Fundraising efforts wind down in mid-February, when members are invited to come together
and stay up all night for the Kids.
-MORE-

Melissa Byrd
229 University Center
uptildawn@memphis.edu | @UTD_Memphis

Where can more information be obtained?

The University of Memphis website , www.memphis.edu/uptildawn/, has links on to how to get

involved.
Members are part of a six person team, headed by a morale captain.
Fundraising occurs on campus, as well as around the city.

Why get involved?

St. Judes spends nearly $1 million dollars a day operating.

One of the leading Childrens Research Hospitals in country, it does not turn families away for
inability to pay, as according to stjude.org.
St. Jude saves the lives of children with cancer and other devastating illnesses, but because it is a
non-profit organization, it needs funds to be able to continue saving lives.

How does the University of Memphis chapter compare to others?

The University of Memphis took top honors for the amount of money donated among the 275
chapters across the country.
Jon Campbell, director of leadership programs for the university, believes there is not another
chapter that commits itself more than the University of Memphis chapter.
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Melissa Byrd
229 University Center
uptildawn@memphis.edu | @UTD_Memphis

External Citations
About the Up 'til Dawn Program. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from http://www.memphis.edu/uptildawn
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from
http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/PageServer?pagename=utd_home