Annual Eli Days celebration recognizes alumni donors

As part of the Yale Alumni Fund’s Eli Days, students in the Graduate School came together to express their heartfelt gratitude to the alumni who support their academic journeys. The Graduate School Alumni fund raised a staggering $2.2 million from 2,355 volunteers last year.
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A student writes a thank you note

On September 4, the Graduate School Alumni Fund, in collaboration with the Yale College Alumni Fund, hosted Eli Days, an annual event for students to express their gratitude to the alumni who have supported their academic journeys through philanthropy. In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, 2,355 Graduate School alumni volunteers raised $2.2 million in unrestricted gifts — setting a new record and bringing direct benefits to GSAS students.

The celebration featured a button-making station, exclusive swag giveaways, ivy plants, and other engaging activities. Students also crafted heartfelt thank-you notes to alumni, highlighting the profound impact of alumni support.

"Being on full aid myself, my attendance would not have been possible without your and others’ gifts! Yale has already afforded me so many opportunities which seemed like fantasy from my place of origin," wrote one student.

The Graduate School Alumni Fund, part of Yale’s Office of Development, raises essential, unrestricted funds from alumni to support students’ financial needs unmet by the endowment. The goal of Eli Days to educate current graduate students about the impact of donations and encourage them to give back in the future. 

Join our generous alumni community and help today’s graduate students excel in their academic pursuits by donating today.


Photo by Bronwen Pailthrope '26