Parkside Day 2026
One Day. One Parkside. Endless Impact.
We are absolutely blown away! Thanks to your incredible generosity, Parkside Day 2026 has officially become our largest Parkside Day in University history. We couldn’t have reached this milestone without you.
Because of Parkside community support, we raised $333,814 with 842 donors!
Parkside Day by the Numbers
Impact and Service
- Contributed 44.5 hours of service to our campus
- Planted 415 native Wisconsin plants near Wyllie Hall
- Made 160 personal thank you calls to Parkside Day donors
- Painted nearly 400 square feet of windows on campus to prevent bird collisions
Athletics Challenge Winners
Wrestling took the top spot in both categories this year. The team earned the most individual donations and raised the highest total dollar amount during Athletics Power Hour. As a result of this double victory, the program received $1,000 in bonus funds to support their chosen team needs.
Champions of Parkside Success
The Ranger family gathered to honor over 150 students and donors during the Champions of Parkside Success Celebration Dinner. The evening highlighted the profound impact of our community and recognized our Champions of Parkside Success:
- Omair Ahmed: Champion of Ranger Athletics
- The Brookwood Foundation: Sustainable Futures Champion
- The Callahan Family: Champion of Generations
Together, we are Parkside.
Missed the day but still want to make a gift?
Thank you! Your gift is always welcome. Your gift makes a difference to students and our campus.
What is Parkside Day?
Parkside Day is more than just a single date. It is a movement built around:
- Philanthropy: Every gift, no matter the size, helps students succeed.
- Engagement: Connect with fellow Rangers through events, challenges, and social media.
- Celebration: Share your Parkside pride and join in the fun across campus and online.
Why it matters
Every gift and every act of engagement creates opportunities. From first-generation students to community engagement, your support helps Rangers dream bigger, achieve more, and give back to their communities.
The Face Behind The Design
Ever wonder who brings the Parkside Day look to life? By collaborating with talented student designer Chris Davis and our Creative Services team, we’ve made 2026 our most vibrant year yet!
Christopher Davis Jr
Business Management, Graphic Design
Expected to graduate in Fall 2026
Headed into the Parkside Day project, I felt a responsibility to capture the feeling of belonging and history at Parkside, and was challenged to do so in a 5×7” magnet postcard form that will not only sit on your desk or refrigerator, but call you to action and build excitement for April 22, 2026.
My approach focused on clarity and consistency. I worked through type hierarchy, contrast, and the color system, which introduced the ‘birch’ tone along with Parkside Green in varying tones to create a clean and warm look. I also involved contrasting brand elements, with the ‘Rangers’ wordmark and the Ranger bear pairing in harmony with the dominant Parkside ‘P’, alongside the shield logo and the historic, credible seal. This reinforced a unified system that reflects history and identity.
What made this project successful was its ability to scale. Beyond the magnet postcard, the design language has shown up across campus in other materials. The magnet postcard project didn’t only function, it also influenced.
I look forward to delivering visual clarity as an extension of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. This is all in service of our tight-knit community, which makes me very grateful and responsible for the opportunity to contribute in such a way.
At Parkside, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to the community and build real-world skills. The same mindset rolls into my upcoming role as a Graphic Design intern with the Store Experience Design team at Best Buy, where I’ll be working on in-store visuals at a nationwide level. Ultimately, my goal is to enable a creative career that scales impact and serves a purpose greater than myself.
The Annual Sock Incentive
All Parkside Day gifts of $30 or more receive our custom UW-Parkside socks!
Parkside Day 2026 socks are a custom dress sock feature a classic collegiate aesthetic, designed in a cream and forest green color palette. The body of the sock is a warm cream knit, while the toe, heel, and ribbed cuff are accented in a solid deep green. The socks have a mid-calf rise and a cozy, athletic feel, perfect for showing school spirit or adding a vintage touch to a casual outfit.
Parkside Day Featured Funds
The Future Focus Fund is a scholarship to reduce student loan debt and help students graduate, including many seniors in danger of “stopping out” or dropping out as additional financial barriers arise in their final semesters.
The Parkside Pathway Fund is a scholarship fund for new students to Parkside. Whether they are coming directly to Parkside or transferring from another school, this support provides a pathway to make Parkside their home.
Parkside Day
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