{"id":77798,"date":"2026-04-27T10:55:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T17:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=77798"},"modified":"2026-05-11T13:11:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T20:11:41","slug":"giving-day-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/giving-day-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Your guide to NAU Giving Day 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">When the Lumberjack community steps up on NAU Giving Day, their Axe of Kindness can change lives.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A donation to NAU might help a single mother achieve her dreams. It could support research into adaptive technology for people with disabilities. It may even be the first step toward a shy political science student finding her voice and her purpose.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">With NAU Giving Day coming up on May 1,\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0assembled a few stories that highlight how your contribution helps elevate Lumberjacks throughout Arizona\u2014whether you donate to the general fund or choose a specific area of impact.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Need more inspiration?\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givingday.foundationnau.org\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Visit the NAU Giving Day website<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0to see how you can help unlock more than $1 million in challenge money,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nau.imodules.com\/s\/1898\/images\/gid2\/editor\/email\/al\/0426_enews\/gd_socks.jpg\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">peep the socks<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0receive as a thanks for your $125 contribution and reserve your spot at the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/celebrate-nau-giving-day-2026-flagstaff-tickets-1962903655674?aff=oddtdtcreator\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Giving Day celebration<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0at Mother Road Brewing Company, happening\u00a0from 4:30-7:30 p.m.\u00a0May 1.\u00a0\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"NAU Giving Day\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SWfjJvpR250?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Inspire community service<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">It\u2019s\u00a0tough to find volunteer opportunities when you live in a remote area. Just ask\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Breanndra\u00a0Bahe<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">, a first-generation Lumberjack who grew up on the Navajo\u00a0Nation.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThe first time I heard the term \u2018volunteer\u2019 was in high school,\u201d Bahe said. \u201cI never had the time to participate in events due to living an hour away.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">That changed when she came to NAU\u2019s\u00a0Flagstaff mountain\u00a0campus. After spending a few hours volunteering at Riordan Mansion, she discovered the handy online resource<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/axeofservice.nau.edu\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0Axe of Service<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u2014a website that lets NAU and Flagstaff community members find volunteer opportunities and\u00a0log\u00a0their service hours.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI went to an Axe of Service event that brought together the Foster Alliance and Louie\u2019s Cupboard,\u201d Bahe said. \u201cHere,\u00a0I made birthday cards for teens in foster care and helped make sandwiches for the Flagstaff Family Food Center. It was an amazing experience that allowed me to see how community can make a difference in many lives.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">For the first time, Bahe\u00a0looked for\u00a0volunteer possibilities in her\u00a0hometown.\u00a0While on break from school, she reached out to a senior center near her family home to ask if they needed volunteers.\u00a0Of course, they said. The rest is history: Bahe has become one of the many students who report that volunteering through Axe of Service has provided them with a sense of purpose and belonging, helped them weather tough times in their own lives and helped them forge meaningful connections.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThe lessons I learned here allowed me to think more critically about how I could help my community back home and get others involved,\u201d Bahe said. \u201cI learned to take initiative, think more\u00a0about others and\u2026make an impact in my community like the impact Axe of Service has made in my life.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">To support Axe of Service, select\u00a0Center for Service and Volunteerism\u00a0as your area of impact and fund designation.\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Build confidence in people with disabilities<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">For many people, video games are\u00a0a fun\u00a0pastime. But for those with disabilities, gaming can unlock community connections and\u00a0increased\u00a0confidence.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Kelly Roberts<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">, executive director of NAU\u2019s Institute for Human Development, said a high schooler with cerebral palsy recently came to the institute\u2019s Gaming Clinic looking for ways to interact with peers. Roberts said the student mostly uses head-controlled access to interact with technology.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThrough innovative adaptive gaming tools and customized interfaces, the student was able to participate independently, collaborate with peers and contribute strategically during gameplay,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cThe clinic demonstrates how thoughtful design and emerging technology can remove barriers and unlock participation.\u201d\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">What happened next stunned the student\u2019s family. The student became more confident initiating conversations, more comfortable participating in group\u00a0activities\u00a0and more willing to try new social settings.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThe Gaming Clinic\u00a0provided\u00a0more than recreation,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cIt offered a sense of belonging and an opportunity to fully engage on their own terms.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">To support the 40+ individuals with disabilities who\u00a0benefit\u00a0from the Gaming Clinic, select College of Social and Behavioral Sciences as your area of impact and Institute for Human Development Discretionary Fund as your fund designation.<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Address Arizona\u2019s nursing shortage\u202f<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Myriah Yazzie<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0might never have earned her nursing degree without support from the Virginia Murray Memorial Scholarship.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A single mother living off-grid, Yazzie was balancing long clinical hours,\u00a0parenthood\u00a0and the pressures of nursing school. She\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0have time to worry about how\u00a0she\u2019d\u00a0pay for her education.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cBecause of this scholarship, I was able to continue my journey as a first-generation Din\u00e9 nursing student, a single mother and someone determined to break generational barriers,\u201d Yazzie said. The scholarship \u201cmade a real and measurable difference, not just financially but\u00a0also\u00a0emotionally.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Thanks to NAU\u2019s support, Yazzie graduated with her bachelor\u2019s degree in nursing in December\u00a0and is now pursuing intensive care unit work on the Navajo Nation. The scholarship \u201chas\u00a0changed my life, my daughter\u2019s life and the future of the patients and communities I will serve,\u201d she said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">To support students like Yazzie,\u00a0select College of Nursing as your area of impact and Virginia Murray Memorial Scholarship Fund as your fund designation.\u202f<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Help future changemakers find their voice<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Madison W.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0came to\u00a0NAU\u00a0alone. She walked to class alone.\u00a0On campus, she sat alone with her headphones on.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">All of that changed when\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Gretchen Gee<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">, her\u00a0world\u00a0politics professor, encouraged her to join the Model United Nations Club (MUN).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cShe went to a meeting and found\u00a0community,\u201d Gee said. \u201cShe met other students interested in politics, international events, public\u00a0speaking\u00a0and travel. She showed up, listened,\u00a0learned\u00a0and began speaking up. She traveled to conferences with the MUN team, debated and negotiated with students from top universities all over the world, and\u00a0she\u00a0found her place and her voice.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Next\u00a0week, Madison W. is set to graduate from NAU with a 4.0 GPA, a set of lifelong\u00a0friends\u00a0and a new sense of purpose. She aspires to a changemaking career in politics and policy\u2014all because of the transformative experience she had in MUN.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">To support students like Madison W.,\u00a0select College of Social and Behavioral Sciences as your area of impact and Model United Nations or Morey Endowment for Model UN as your fund designation.\u202f<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-56007\" src=\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514.png\" alt=\"Northern Arizona University Logo\" width=\"134\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514.png 905w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-768x546.png 768w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-600x426.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 134px) 100vw, 134px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"><br \/>\nJill Kimball | NAU Communications<br \/>\n(928) 523-2282 | <a href=\"mailto:jill.kimball@nau.edu\">jill.kimball@nau.edu<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"search-results-excerpt-link\" href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/giving-day-2026\/\">When the Lumberjack community steps up on NAU Giving Day, their Axe of Kindness can change lives.\u202f\u00a0 A donation to NAU might help a single mother achieve her dreams. It could support research into adaptive technology for people with disabilities. It may even be the first step toward a shy political science student finding her&hellip;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":77799,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-community"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/95"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77798"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77798\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}