Georgia Southern University kicks off its 41st annual "A Day for Southern" community fundraising campaign Tuesday. The fundraising tradition began as a way for Georgia Southern supporters to contribute to the ongoing success of the university.

Georgia Southern University Foundation Chairwoman Barbara Christmas-Golden says she is pleased to be a part of this year's fundraiser.

"I'm very honored to be chairing this year's ‘A Day for Southern,'" said Golden, a former school principal and CEO of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators. "I see this fundraiser as an opportunity to give back to the university that meant so much to my professional career."

The gifts received throughout the campaign are a collaborative effort among faculty, staff, students, retirees, alumni and members of the Statesboro and Bulloch County communities. These gifts support university programs not funded through state dollars such as scholarships, faculty development, championship athletics and cultural programs.

"As members of the university community, we get to be a part of one of the most formative chapters in a person's life - college," said Gloria Goosby, the director of annual giving. "We get to be a part of someone else's story. We get to support students as they grow and mature into future scientists, teachers, community leaders, artists, nurses, entrepreneurs or nearly every profession under the sun. What an opportunity!"

The donations allow students to achieve academic excellence and support outreach centers such as the Center for Wildlife Education, Georgia Southern Museum, Garden of the Coastal Plain and state-of-the-art facilities and programs that attract and support research and scholarships.

"A Day for Southern" began more than four decades ago and recorded $67,000 in its first year. Last year, donations reached a record-breaking $2,111,160.

For more information on "A Day for Southern," or to make a donation online, visit georgiasouthern.edu/a-day-for-southern.