Ducks Give 2026

Alan Eliason knows how important it is to give emerging professionals a strong start. Through the Jane Eliason Scholarship Fund, students in the COE’s Communication Disorders and Sciences (CDS) program receive support as they complete required fieldwork and practicum experiences. When we reach 125 donations, a $10,000 challenge gift from Alan Eliason will be unlocked to support students as they prepare to serve individuals and families with their speech pathology and audiology needs.

Scholarships don’t just relieve financial pressure - they help students see that they belong. For many, receiving scholarship support is the first moment they believe they can succeed in higher education. In honor of former COE faculty member, Dr. Ken Kempner, Larry Warford (’89 PhD Educational Policy and Management) has pledged $4,000 to the COE General Scholarship Fund. Help us unlock this challenge by reaching 80 donations.

Sapsik’ʷałá, meaning “teacher” in Ichishkíin/Sahaptin, reflects the belief that education strengthens our people. Through the Sapsik’ʷałá Teacher Education program, more than 132 Indigenous educators from sixty-two Tribes have been prepared to teach, mentor, and strengthen communities. Inspired by the dedication of these students and alumni, Nancy Golden (PhD ’87 Curriculum and Instruction) and Roger Guthrie are inviting donors to support the Sapsik’ʷałá program. When we reach twenty donations, a $1,000 gift will be unlocked to support training for future Indigenous educators.

When we invest in Indigenous educators, we invest in communities for generations to come! The Sapsik’ʷałá Teacher Education Program builds long‑term impact through Tribal partnership, mentorship for emerging teachers, language revitalization projects, and deep community commitment. An anonymous donor has issued a $20,000 challenge to ensure this work continues to grow and thrive well into the future. Let’s reach 150 gifts to unlock this investment in the next generation of Indigenous teachers!

Join us in the EMU Amphitheatre from 11:30am-2:30pm to celebrate Ducks Give! Enjoy free pizza, a photobooth, make-you-own bouquets, visits from the Duck and Caesar the No-Drama Llama, and performances by the Art Cart and the Oregon Marching Band.

Jamie Carr, Cathy and Andy Clauson, and Anna and Ernie Quinones, members of the Family Advancement Council, have generously pledged $30,000 to support the Feed the Flock Food Pantry fund, which supports students facing food insecurity. This gift will be unlocked when we receive 300 gifts from UO families to any area on campus.

An anonymous donor has generously pledged $22,000 to help inspire gifts from UO faculty and staff. Their gift will support the Clark Honors College Weinandy Scholarship. This challenge will be unlocked when we reach 250 gifts to any area of campus from UO faculty and staff.

Scholarship support allows students to serve in classrooms and clinics as they prepare for their careers, staying focused on hands‑on learning and community impact, not financial strain. Doug and Kathryn (BS ’72 Curriculum and Instruction) Collins understand the life-changing impact of scholarships and the importance of investing in the next generation of educators and human service practitioners. When we reach 180 donations, we will unlock a $20,000 gift from Doug and Kathryn Collins to the COE Scholarship Fund. Join the challenge today!

Career ready graduates strengthen our communities by meeting critical workforce needs in education, development, and human services. Laura (M.Ed. ’76, Curriculum and Instruction) and Jim Marshall understand just how life-changing scholarship support can be for students deciding to take the next step toward advanced training and service-driven careers. To inspire giving, they’ve pledged a $5,000 gift to the COE Scholarship Fund if we reach 100 gifts. You can be the difference for students who are ready to serve their communities!

Since its inception in 2002, the Sapsik’ʷałá Teacher Education program has prepared and certified over 132 Native American teacher candidates through the College of Education. Sapsik’ʷałá students are trained to bring culturally sustaining practices into classrooms, strengthen connections to language and culture, and serve as role models for Indigenous youth. Peter (PhD ’79, Educational Psychology) and Mim (MA ’71, English) Gray are challenging us to rally around these future leaders in Indigenous education with a $1,500 challenge gift. Let’s reach sixty donations to unlock this generous gift and expand support for Sapsik’ʷałá

To strengthen child and family behavioral health across Oregon, Wesley and Greg Stewart have pledged $1,500 to support the HEDCO Clinic, the College of Education’s premier training facility. When you give to the clinic, you help provide sliding scale behavioral and mental health services for children and families while supporting hands‑on, supervised training for the next generation of clinicians. Your gift during Ducks Give moves us closer to our goal of forty donations and helps unlock the Stewarts’ pledge, ensuring that children and families continue to receive the care they need today and well into the future.

UO faculty and staff who make a gift on Ducks Give are invited to join us from 3:30-4:30pm for a sweet treat! Come to Ford Alumni Center Giustina Ballroom and build a sundae to celebrate. EVERY gift from UO faculty and staff to ANY department on Ducks Give contributes to unlocking $22,000 in additional scholarship funds!

UO parents Joe, Vice President of UO Advancement, and Molly Buck have generously pledged $5,000 to support the Students in Crisis fund, which provides vital funding to support students facing barriers to graduation from urgent financial challenges. This gift will be unlocked when 150 families make a gift to any fund.