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All In for ӣ����Ƶ of California returns March 22.  This year’s challenge and matching gifts will be the largest yet, giving donors the opportunity to amplify their impact as they support Dominican causes they care most about.

What happens – and who benefits -  when the Dominican community goes “All In”?|

Last year, 689 donors contributed $187,010 during the annual fundraising event. While the numbers speak volumes about the generosity of the greater Dominican community, the impact is profound and lasting for students across the university.

For many students, the additional dollars raised last year during All In were a game-changer during incredibly trying times.

Here are just a few examples:

Department of Nursing: High-tech training elevates safety and access

A total of $3,100 was raised during All In for the School of Health and Natural Sciences. The Department of Nursing utilizes donations like this to purchase sophisticated technology that allows students to access simulation training and gain critical clinical hours from the safety of their homes. The “vSim for Nursing” modules became a key component of students’ indirect patient care hours during the pandemic - allowing students to meet course requirements by navigating through high-quality simulation scenarios.

However, the vSims remain critical as hospitals continue to face pressures related to COVID.

“Hospitals remain constructed in the number of students they can accommodate for clinical rotations, leaving students still needing virtual simulations,” says Barbara McCamish, Director, Clinical Simulation Services.

The vSim modules come in different content areas, allowing for broad use. The cost for an individual module is approximately $100.

“One $100 donation supports a nursing preceptor student in learning more about a specialty area or delving deeper into managing multiple simulated patients at once,” McCamish says. “Eight of these donations would support a nursing clinical group unable to get into a clinical environment due to COVID.”

Close the Gap: Providing a Bridge to Help Students Complete Their Degree

Last year, All In raised $11,527 for Close the Gap, which provided scholarship funds for three students who may not otherwise have been able to return for their junior or senior years.

Kassi Aronson ’23 is a double major in business administration and graphic design. The Honors Program student is on track to graduate early. However, last year she worried whether or not she would be able to return to school due to the impact of COVID on her finances.

 “This scholarship has allowed me to return to school and made graduation possible for me.  It truly made it possible for me to graduate and be the first in my family ever to graduate!,” she says.

Both nationally and here at Dominican, students are still feeling the financial impact of COVID, with high rates of economic instability, ongoing loss of household income, and growing housing and food insecurity. 

In the early days of the pandemic, we established the HOPE Team (Help Our Penguins get Educated) to help us respond nimbly to students' needs and help us direct funding to student support services. Our work remains critical, and we need your support.

Athletics: Keeping Teams Safe, Connected, and Prepared for Competition

There was not one element of the University’s Athletics program that COVID did not impact. From logistical challenges related to rescheduling (and re-rescheduling) to keeping student-athletes connected as a team and the ongoing priority of ensuring athlete and spectator safety, the Department went into overdrive.

All In raised $6,423 for the Athletics Department operating budget. This meant providing more equipment for a newly-created outdoor weight room, new outdoor basketball hoops, a new field hut to store lacrosse equipment (equipment also had to maintain social distance), and a new washer and dryer (COVID protocols = more laundry!). 

“Dominican Athletics and the student-athletes sincerely appreciate everyone's support as it has allowed us to increase scholarships, upgrade facilities, and safely compete through challenging times,” says Dominican Director of Athletics Amy Henkelman. “Athletics is a very important piece of the student-athletes college experience physically and mentally and helps them be successful academically and in other areas of their lives.”

LINES Ballet: Supporting a Commitment to Artistic Talent

Last year, All In raised $12,728 for the Dominican BFA Dance Program Scholarship. Three students were awarded scholarships, including Sharif Claxton.

"Every day in the LINES BFA program is a highlight of my day. I also enjoy learning in the beautiful classrooms and campus,” Sharif says. “This scholarship gave me the opportunity to continue my education and widen my chances to live my dreams.”

The Dominican community is invited to attend All In Fest on the Caleruega Dining Hall Plaza at 11:30 am on March 22. President Pitchford will make an exciting announcement about the new Center for the Dominican Experience in Archbishop Alemany Library.

Learn more at /all-in-dominican