Top Class: Harvard Students Amaze
WBR has long benefit from grassroots fundraising efforts, many of which take place in school settings (such as Pencils for Pedals and Bike-a-Thon). And yet, we are amazed each time another group or class chooses to learn and raise support on WBR’s behalf. This time we see it at the Ivy League level of Harvard Extension School!
For the third year in a row, Professor Myra White has taken her virtual fundraising curriculum to the next level, impacting the world far beyond the classroom. White’s class, taught online, tests the students on their abilities to creatively and collectively raise as much money as possible. Despite never meeting in person, the Harvard Extension School members raised a mind-blowing $35,939.29 for World Bicycle Relief!
Divided into 13 teams, the students set up online fundraising pages through the Get Involved page on WBR's website. They customized their text and photographs and outlined a clear fundraising strategy. Students enlisted corporate matching and grants from their places of employment, created Facebook pages, @DonateToWBR Twitter handles, encouraged people to watch videos on the WBR Youtube channel and even created funny videos of their own! Through the Harvard students’ efforts and this wide range of channels, World Bicycle Relief hit new giving records, garnering donations on six continents (only Antarctica was missing!) from 432 separate individuals. The students cast their nets wide, engaging the whole world in their efforts and it made a tremendous difference.
Outside of the incredible donations and awareness that WBR received due to the Harvard efforts, the most inspiring aspect of it all was their true interest in supporting our cause. Even after the grade, students continued to seek out local community connections and continued support for WBR. This was truly an outstanding effort and we are incredibly thankful to the hard work of each and every student.
A big thanks to Myra White and all thirteen top class Harvard Teams!
Harvard GHT
Team Tiger
Al Camino
Team Virtual Alliance
Bikes-for-children-in-need
Klipps13
Virtual Circle
Team Short Circuit
Team LR
Team Unity in Diversity
World Top
Basis Power
HONA
