SUWANEE, Ga. – The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference office announced today that the University of St. Thomas Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is the winner of the league's "Change For The Better" campaign, marking the first time in school history the Celts have earned top honors.
St. Thomas won the 2024 competition with a total of $2,127 raised for the Celts to Cure campaign. The fundraising efforts were dedicated to UST alumnus David Gonzalez '20, diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder that breaks down muscle tissue in one out of 5,000 young men. Celts to Cure is tied to Coach to Cure, a program that raises awareness about Duchenne through sports involvement and communities.
"What makes Celts to Cure special is the wonderful opportunity it provides for the UST community to support and accompany all those struggling with Duchenne," Gonzalez said. "The event is not so much about raising funds but about providing that chance to become acquainted with the impact Duchenne has had on people and take part in our fight with Duchenne alongside us."
The $2,127 raised by St. Thomas was the third-highest raised by any school in the history of the SCAC “Change for the Better” campaign.
Other participating SCAC SAAC endeavors included Austin College, Texas Lutheran, Trinity and Southwestern all raising $300 or more dollars for their respective charities.
Approved by the SCAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in 2015, the "Change for the Better" contest allows each member institution to collect as much change as possible from fans, parents and students in support of a chosen charity over the course of one week during the conference basketball season.
For the first time since 2019 all ten of the league’s Student-Athletic Advisory Committees participated in this year’s effort with a total of $4,482.64 for various charitable organizations. This year’s total represents the third-highest in SCAC history.
In the eight-year history of the event, league SAACs have made an impressive $26,016.78 worth of charitable contributions via the "Change For the Better" campaign.
The results for this year's initiative, with the school's chosen charity, are listed below:
- University of St. Thomas - Celts to Cure ($2,127)
- Austin College - Texas Scottish Rite ($622.58)
- Texas Lutheran University - "The Locker" ($600)
- Trinity University - Kinetic Kids Organization ($318)
- Southwestern University - Team Impact ($300)
- University of Dallas - Special Olympics ($195.09)
- Schreiner University - Habitat for Humanity ($134)
- Colorado College - Children's Hospital Colorado ($105.67)
- Centenary College - Boys & Girls Club of Shreveport ($80.00)
