Philanthropist and businessman Don Tocco is back on campus this week, and he’s looking to give thousands of dollars to Hillsdale clubs and organizations.
The donor will host a fundraising presentation challenge today, beginning at 5 p.m. in the Formal Lounge, where 33 students will give a two to three-minute pitch about their organization’s funding needs.
The judging panel of faculty and staff will award an additional $500 to ‘A’ grade presentations, $325 to ‘B’s, and $150 to ‘C’s. According to Director of Student Programming Rachel Marinko, students will be graded on three principles: persuasion, donation purpose, and effectiveness.
“Mr. Tocco always begins or ends his time with the students by encouraging them and motivating them to live a life of courage and honor,” Marinko said. “He genuinely cares about how the students live their lives and loves to encourage them. He’s always down for a good conversation and a competitive game of Ping-Pong.”
Tocco is a Michigan businessman who founded the national construction marketing firm Tocco & Associates, Inc. in 1974. Since then, he has become a motivational speaker, both in Michigan elementary schools through his Youth Enrichment Series, as well as at colleges across the country. He has shared the podium with notable figures such as President Gerald Ford, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and Sen. Bob Dole.
“Ideally, this donation will benefit our philanthropic efforts to give back to the Hillsdale community,” Alpha Tau Omega president and junior Clay Havens said. “Two years ago, esteemed ATO alumnus ‘Money Mike’ Craig won the Tocco challenge, consisting of various athletic competitions and ending with a chess match against Tocco. Don Tocco has been generous to Alpha Tau Omega in the past, and we look forward to connecting with him again this year.”
Tocco has given money to the college for 23 years, most notably through competitive events. In the past he did sports challenges, where he would compete against students in events like basketball, Ping-Pong, and chess. The presentation challenge is the most recent iteration of this tradition. Like previous years, all participants receive money, but the winners of the competition earn a bonus.
“I am anxious to put my best foot forward,” senior Aruna Harihara, president of the Pre-Professional Society, said. “Ideally, it can get us enough money to get T-shirts, stickers, and pullovers. As different as our members’ career interests are, we all have a unifying goal of serving the community medically in whatever capacity that may be.”
