Mariachi Divas kick off Aurora University’s Day of Generosity fundraiser
Aurora University's Day of Generosity opened with a Latin American flair. After an introduction by AU President Susana Rivera-Mills, 11 acclaimed female musicians presented “An Evening with Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea” in AU's Crimi Auditorium.
The free, public event on April 3 opened AU’s inaugural Day of Generosity, a fundraiser to support student scholarships and campus improvements.
Mariachi Divas performed music ranging from mariachi classics to jazz and pop featuring ensemble and soloists in Spanish and English. Founded in 1999 by Cindy Shea, trumpet player and music director, the group is a double Grammy Award winner. Other credits include eight Grammy nominations and three Latin Grammy nominations. Specializing in live concerts, television, commercials and film recordings, the group's recording track record includes 20 professional album releases produced and directed by Shea.
The concert accompanied a week of pop-up events leading up to AU's inaugural Day of Generosity on Friday, a 24-hour initiative. Pop-ups began Monday, March 31, with a five-day community canvas, followed on Tuesday by decorating and packaging bagged lunches for Aurora's Hesed House homeless shelter, “Wellness Wednesday,” and “Cups and Comfort” on Thursday where students and staff assembled 42 fleece blankets for World Relief and Oaken Acres Wildlife Center in Sycamore.
Friday's culminating events included a Day of Generosity morning breakfast. President Rivera-Mills thanked campus community members for their support of Day of Generosity. The concluding event was an 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Arts Cafe at the Hill Welcome Center.
Jen Buckley, AU interim president of advancement, said the initiative is about “having a week that's focused on how we support our students within our community. It's providing opportunities and coming together to help one another. It's about not only serving our community and talking about what generosity means, but also putting it into action.”
Donation announcements were sent out to alumni and the community Buckley said.
John D. Ammons, chair of AU's board of trustees, announced in an email to alumni that the board will donate $10,000 when the Day of Generosity drive reaches 100 donors. He said, “As we hit new giving milestones, more challenge dollars will be released, keeping the momentum going and making your gift go even further.
“Every gift made counts toward our Day of Generosity, helping to create life-changing opportunities for AU students. The board of trustees is fully committed to this effort, with 100% participation in our fundraising initiatives, demonstrating our shared dedication to giving back,” Ammons wrote.