UMassGives 2024
“With democracy in peril at home and abroad–and civilization itself threatened by the prospects of environmental catastrophe and nuclear war–I welcome the UMass effort to create a permanent Ellsberg Institute for Peace and Democracy.” — Daniel Ellsberg (1931-2023)
America’s most famous whistleblower, Ellsberg devoted his life to the nonviolent struggle for peace, truth, and democracy. In 1971, he risked his freedom by releasing to the press and public a 7,000-page top-secret history of the Vietnam War—the Pentagon Papers—exposing decades of government lies and deceit. Since then, Ellsberg’s principled activism shows us how dissent can be the highest expression of patriotism and citizenship.
THE ELLSBERG PAPERS AT UMASS
In 2019, Ellsberg, impressed by UMass Amherst’s longstanding commitment to social justice, made it the home for his papers. With the help of an anonymous donor, this treasure trove of some 500 boxes of material became part of the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center, the university’s legendary, vast, and world-renowned holdings chronicling activism for diversity, social equity, and positive social change.
GROW THE ELLSBERG INITITAVE
We believe it is essential to create a one-of-a-kind enterprise in the academic realm to address these questions. The Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy addresses a unique portfolio of concerns, focused on the existential threats to freedom and democracy posed by war, authoritarianism, imperialism, nuclear weapons, and environmental catastrophe. We invite donors to help us establish this initiative.
The Ellsberg Initiative approaches public education as a tool that can inform our imaginations, understandings, and strategies to build a more just, peaceful, and democratic society. Each year, the initiative focuses its programming on an issue of vital importance that reflects Ellsberg’s life and legacy. This year, we did a series of events on public interest whistleblowing. Next academic year, we will concentrate on the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons and climate change and what we can do to end them.
To make even MORE of an impact, give during our Power Hour #4 6:00-7:00 p.m. on April 24, when we have a chance to win bonus money.
Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Student Alumni Association | 128 |
2 | $500 | UMass Women into Leadership | 90 |
3 | $500 | Professional Writing and Technical Communication | 36 |
4 | College of Education Student Emergency Fund | 10 | |
5 | Men's Lacrosse | 8 | |
6 | Finance Department | 6 | |
7 | Management Department | 6 | |
8 | Women's Lacrosse | 6 | |
9 | Isenberg Class of 2024 Senior Gift | 6 | |
10 | Commonwealth Honors College | 5 | |
11 | CICS Dean's Opportunity Fund | 5 | |
12 | The Galbraith Prize | 4 | |
13 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 4 | |
14 | Men's Swimming & Diving | 4 | |
15 | WMUA | 4 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Protect Our Breasts | 112 |
2 | $500 | University Without Walls | 69 |
3 | $500 | Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning | 31 |
4 | Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences | 29 | |
5 | Indian Classical Arts Society | 27 | |
6 | Public Interest Technology Club | 17 | |
7 | Accounting Department | 15 | |
8 | Club Softball | 12 | |
9 | Operations & Information Management Department | 11 | |
10 | Hockey | 10 | |
11 | Men's Lacrosse | 6 | |
12 | College of Natural Sciences Scholarships | 5 | |
13 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 4 | |
14 | Institute of Diversity Sciences | 4 | |
15 | Football | 4 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Minuteman Marching Band | 87 |
2 | $500 | Fencing Club | 74 |
3 | $500 | Active Minds | 65 |
4 | Climbing Club | 60 | |
5 | HackUMass | 33 | |
6 | Department of Journalism | 26 | |
7 | Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers | 13 | |
8 | UMass Recovery | 10 | |
9 | Hockey | 8 | |
10 | Marketing Department | 6 | |
11 | Football | 5 | |
12 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 4 | |
13 | Field Hockey | 4 | |
14 | Finance Department | 3 | |
15 | Men's Ultimate Frisbee | 3 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | The Massachusetts Daily Collegian | 277 |
2 | $500 | Men's Ultimate Frisbee | 134 |
3 | $500 | UMass CHAARG | 99 |
4 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 85 | |
5 | The Boltwood Project | 75 | |
6 | Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy | 74 | |
7 | Minutemen Racing | 73 | |
8 | Mock Trial Team | 66 | |
9 | Earthfoods Cafe | 64 | |
10 | Doo Wop Shop | 60 | |
11 | Muslim Students Association | 60 | |
12 | Club Water Polo | 54 | |
13 | S#arp Attitude | 50 | |
14 | Girl Up UMass Amherst | 40 | |
15 | Gospel Choir | 23 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Stonewall Center | 160 |
2 | $500 | Model UN | 71 |
3 | $500 | Women for UMass Amherst | 48 |
4 | Film Studies Program | 41 | |
5 | Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 13 | |
6 | Hockey | 11 | |
7 | Sweets & More | 11 | |
8 | College of Education Student Emergency Fund | 8 | |
9 | Men's Cross Country/Track & Field | 5 | |
10 | Women's Lacrosse | 5 | |
11 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 4 | |
12 | CICS Dean's Opportunity Fund | 4 | |
13 | Isenberg Class of 2024 Senior Gift | 4 | |
14 | Department of Political Science | 3 | |
15 | Baseball | 3 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Men's Rugby | 167 |
2 | $500 | Women’s Rugby Football Club | 122 |
3 | $500 | Student Care & Emergency Response Fund | 52 |
4 | UMass EMS | 46 | |
5 | UMass Hillel | 33 | |
6 | Center for Latin Am., Caribbean, & Latino Studies | 31 | |
7 | Cape Cod Alumni Group | 21 | |
8 | WMUA | 17 | |
9 | CICS Dean's Opportunity Fund | 15 | |
10 | Hockey | 11 | |
11 | Sailing Team | 11 | |
12 | Baseball | 9 | |
13 | Women's Rowing | 8 | |
14 | Men's Soccer | 7 | |
15 | Delta Sigma Pi | 7 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Men's Club Rowing | 216 |
2 | $500 | Women's Club Ice Hockey | 123 |
3 | $500 | Spanish and Portuguese Studies | 78 |
4 | Filipino Student Association | 69 | |
5 | Nursing Study Abroad Scholarships | 25 | |
6 | Sylvan Snack Bar | 25 | |
7 | UMass MannMukti | 25 | |
8 | Field Hockey Club | 24 | |
9 | Men's Rugby | 19 | |
10 | Dean's Fund for Library Excellence | 12 | |
11 | Alpine Ski Team | 12 | |
12 | UMass IT Internship | 11 | |
13 | College of Education Student Emergency Fund | 8 | |
14 | Women’s Rugby Football Club | 8 | |
15 | Minutemen Dancers | 7 |

Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $2,000 | Duly Noted | 270 |
2 | $500 | Women's Ultimate Frisbee | 148 |
3 | $500 | Boxing Club | 80 |
4 | Engineers Without Borders | 40 | |
5 | Cape Verdean Student Alliance | 32 | |
6 | Ballroom Dance Team | 30 | |
7 | Vocal Suspects | 27 | |
8 | Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers | 27 | |
9 | Greeno Sub Shop | 26 | |
10 | UMass ALTITUDE | 21 | |
11 | InterVarsity Christian Fellowship | 19 | |
12 | UMass International Genetically Engineered Machine | 15 | |
13 | Cycling Club | 12 | |
14 | Women's Lacrosse | 11 | |
15 | Gymnastics Club | 11 |
