November 16, 2021 | Downers Grove, IL

Midwestern University students from the Downers Grove Campus earned the naming rights for the Illinois Physical Therapy Foundation’s fundraising challenge.

Demonstrating their generosity and commitment to helping others, Physical Therapy students on Midwestern University’s Downers Grove Campus earned the naming rights to the Illinois Physical Therapy Foundation’s fundraising challenge for 2021. They achieved this honor by having the most participants take part in the organization’s #Giving Tuesday fundraiser in 2020. As a result, the 2021 #Giving Tuesday challenge is now officially known as the Midwestern University Student Challenge and will take place on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.

“Last year, we were able to encourage giving through a conjoined effort of both students and faculty. Several people helped organize events, provided reminders, and promoted awareness of the challenge,” said Shannon Ryan (CHS-Downers Grove PT 2022). “The event is renamed each year after the school who has the most participation and they also earn bragging rights,” she added. The donations help fund the Illinois Physical Therapy Foundation’s Student to Student Scholarship, which supports Physical Therapy and Physical Therapy Assistant students throughout the state.

For this year’s Midwestern University Student Challenge, the goal is to increase awareness, encourage giving, and retain the naming rights for next year. “It is important to give to this challenge because it helps reduce the financial burden of PT and PTA students and, ultimately, helps future clinicians reach their goals. Even if you are not a student or member of the Illinois Physical Therapy Association, you can still support us by going to www.iptfgives.org/give and indicating that you are with Midwestern University to help continue our tradition of winning,” Shannon added.