Spiders around the world took time to give back to students as part of the fifth annual Spiders Helping Spiders in mid-November. Their gifts raised more than $345,000 to support students with financial need.

Gifts donated through the Spiders Helping Spiders initiative are directed toward three areas:  

Financial Aid

The University of Richmond is one of just a few U.S. higher-education institutions that admits students regardless of need and meets 100 percent of demonstrated need for undergraduate applicants. More than a third of undergraduates are eligible for such aid, with an average award of $55,600.

Student Emergency Fund

Students sometimes experience urgent and unforeseen expenses. This fund was established in 2018 and provides direct aid for situations that could otherwise derail a student’s education. In the past this fund has helped with difficult situations such as the need to purchase a plane ticket to visit an ill parent. It was also critical during the COVID-19 pandemic when students needed funds to travel home or needed assistance paying for living expenses in the U.S. because of border closings and quarantine restrictions.

Career Opportunity Fund

This fund provides students financial assistance to pursue internships, job interviews, or graduate school. It can fund travel for professional opportunities, pay for a new suit for an interview, and even cover graduate school application fees.

Each of these funds exceeded the University’s goal this year, thanks in part to generous matching gifts from Spider alumni and families. International donations spanned the globe from the U.K. to China. And, out of the 844 total campaign participants, 128 were first-time donors to UR.

“Spiders Helping Spiders goes to the heart of who we are as a community and what we strive to be as a university,” said Kim Lebar, director of annual giving. “Life isn’t always fair or easy, but we want to level the field where we can for students of limited means. Every gift during Spiders Helping Spiders directly helps students when they need a hand.”