With a bit of Million Dollar fanfare and Big Al philanthropy, The University of Alabama recently launched its 2019 United Way campaign with a goal of $395,000, a $10,000 increase over last year’s goal.

The host for the 2019 campaign is the College of Arts and Sciences, and the theme is The Art and Science of Giving.

During the kickoff event held Sept. 19, UA President Stuart R. Bell greeted those gathered on the President’s Mansion lawn and thanked them for their service, year after year, which helps ensure the success of this annual campaign that supports the United Way of West Alabama.

“We, as a University, as a family, believe in giving back to our communities and I am certainly honored that The University of Alabama, year after year, shows our commitment to the United Way of West Alabama,” said Bell. “It’s a statement of who we are as a University that we rise up through our campaign and we serve those around us.”

Campaign co-chairs Charles “Skip” Snead, professor and director of the School of Music, and Dr. David Cruz-Uribe, professor and chair of the department of mathematics, shared that the theme conveys a two-fold message: the 22 departments and programs that comprise the College represent 22 different ways of knowing about the human condition. Giving and the reasons for giving also reflect all the different ways of knowing. While some are numbers people (the science), others take a more abstract approach (the art).

They shared that one in four people, or approximately 190,000 individuals, throughout West Alabama benefit from United Way donations. Further, 90 cents of every dollar donated flows back to the community.

“Every day, in every way, each one of us in our community depends on others to do their part, whatever that part may be,” said Snead. “The United Way is a very tangible process in which we see this connection to our community come together.”

Learn more about the campaign by reading the full article on the UA News site.