Only for Southern 2026

Dr. Zia Hashmi joined the Georgia Southern faculty in 1968 and made it his mission to bring the world to Georgia Southern. 

Through his teaching, his advocacy of programs like the Model UN, and his founding of the Center for International Studies, he and his colleagues did just that. Today, his son, Sohail Hashmi, and his family strengthen his legacy by giving Only for Southern.

Sheila Hoynes is a graduate of both Georgia Southern (‘71) and Armstrong ('75) and gives to Only for Southern because she wants to pay it forward. 

A rewarding career in education began at Georgia Southern, continued at Armstrong with her Masters, so now she supports future teachers in the College of Education.

“I know firsthand what’s possible when someone believes in you.” 

Amy Lingo may today be the dean of the College of Education, but she was once a first-gen college graduate starting her career in a middle school classroom. 

She’s been on both sides of the transformative experience of education, she’s seen the difference it makes, and that’s why she gives Only for Southern.

Eagle Nation showed up like never before. Our gratitude knows no bounds.

Two goals down — and we’re still soaring. Support for Georgia Southern students doesn’t stop with any one milestone, so let’s keep climbing and make today unforgettable.

How high can we soar before midnight?

Beth Martin enrolled at Georgia Southern in 1996, quickly developed a love for Southern, and made friendships with people like Collins Simpson Foster (‘00). A 1997 car accident took Beth too soon, but Collins, as well as Beth’s sister Kelly and brother-in-law Brent, honor Beth’s memory through a scholarship for Georgia Southern students.

For Only for Southern, they give to extend Beth’s legacy and help Eagles just like her.

Eagles, you have absolutely shown out today. 

We cleared our original Only for Southern goal before noon!

To our donors, "thank you" barely begins to cover it. To our advocates, you've done an amazing job, and we need you to keep pushing.

Because now it’s time to run up the score and make history. Our new goal is 1,750 donors by midnight, and if we hit it, we will set a new Only for Southern record!

You know what to do, Eagle Nation. 

Let’s GATA.

With less than 24 hours to go, Only for Southern is building momentum in a BIG way.

We are already more than HALFWAY to our goal, with over 720 donors and more than $373,000 committed to Only for Southern!

As of the morning of March 4, our donors represent 34 states in the United States as well as the countries of Australia, Canada, Hungary, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Eagle Nation truly does span the globe.

We've still got a good bit of ground to cover, but our progress is fantastic. If we keep up our current pace, once Only for Southern 2026 is done, our donors will have made an enormous impact on the futures of our students and our University.

Thank you to our donors, our advocates, the University community, and every other Eagle EVERYWHERE who is helping us spread Only for Southern's message that when we soar together, we soar beyond!

Next week is Only for Southern! And look what Eagle Nation has already done: we’ve cruised past one-third of our goal… seven days before our giving day!

It only gets more exciting from here. More challenge gifts, more matches, more stories, more impact.

If you’re deciding on where to make your gift, check out the available matching and challenge gifts to see how you can extend your impact.

If you’ve already made a gift, thank you!! Consider becoming an advocate and sharing Only for Southern with your network so we can bring more Eagles into the fold (you can even get some exclusive Only for Southern swag for your trouble…).

But wherever you are in your giving journey, never forget this: every dollar you contribute gets a student one step closer to enrollment, gets a breakthrough one step closer to discovery, gets a community one step closer to a better future. 

What we’re doing here is about more than hitting a number or breaking a record. It’s about unlocking potential and improving lives. And you’re doing that — one gift, one step, at a time.

Momentum is already building, and Only for Southern hasn’t even begun!

Thank you so much to everyone who has already given, and if you’ve not yet made your gift — you’re coming in at the right time. There’s plenty of time to work toward earning our Truest & Bluest advocate items, and new challenges and matches will be posted over the next few weeks, allowing your gift to go even further by unlocking additional dollars to support what you love at Georgia Southern.

For now, keep an eye on this page as well as official Georgia Southern social media accounts. We’ll be posting updates, donor stories, and more as we get closer and closer to March 5.

Hail Southern!