Bulldogs Got Talent Betters Lives: Over $1,400 Raised for Victims of Sexual Assault
Last Thursday, the University Honors Student Association (UHSA) hosted Bulldogs Got Talent in Weber Music Hall. A talent show that serves a double function; entertainment and fundraising.
Sofia Mantilla dancing the Marinera "Peru de Mis Amores.” Photo by Molly Williams
With 13 acts showcasing a total of 17 performers, the event set out to raise funds for the local non-profit, The Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA).
The PAVSA supports victims in the Duluth community by training Sexual Assault Advocates and employing a variety of harm reduction strategies.
Talents ranged from dance to vocal performances, standup comedy to barbershop quartet. The show even finished off with the award-winning UMD Dance Team performing their halftime routine.
Throughout the show, audience members were encouraged to vote for their favorite acts by donating. All funds raised went to PAVSA’s hygiene drive, which provides hygiene products to those in the community, particularly at risk.
Being the third year in Bulldogs Got Talent’s run, UHSA has built off its previous incarnations by creating a more well-rounded and successful show.
“Last year, we ran Bulldogs Got Talent as a broader fundraiser within the Sona shuttle fundraiser,” UHSA President, Isaac Conrad said. “We ended up raising over $10,000 that fundraiser, but Bulldogs Got Talent was only a piece of that. The majority, 90%, of those funds came from grassroots fundraising.”
This year, the fundraiser raised more money than last, garnering over $1,400 in donations. “That’s just with Bulldogs Got Talent,” Conrad said.
But this is only the beginning for UHSA – their growth and success aren’t stopping here.
“We're thinking that as the event gains momentum and other student groups kind of buy in and the administration starts to buy, that that number will just continue to go up,” Conrad said.
UHSA plans that Bulldogs Got Talent will become an annual event moving forward, cycling through different groups to fundraise for.
“All the pieces are in place for it to come back every single year,” Conrad said. “I think it's a great way to highlight the commitment of UMD students to the community.”