Where will your Redbird Socks take you? For Zakia Hart, they’ll be taking her across the commencement stage next year when she graduates.
Redbird Socks for Scholarships is an annual fundraising campaign that has raised more than $68,000 for the Red and White Scholarship, an emergency fund for students facing financial hardship. Zakia broke her pelvis in a fall last winter, leading to a two-week hospital stay and two months recovering at home.
“The Red and White Scholarship solved many of my financial responsibilities,” said Hart, who is a junior. “It lifted a burden off of me, and I’m so grateful for that.”
Redbird Socks cost $25 per pair and can be purchased on Hatch, Illinois State’s crowdfunding platform.
This year’s socks are black cotton with red and white stripes around the foot, short stripes up the calf, and the Rising Redbirds logo on the shin. The logo is used in philanthropic initiatives, representing how private support helps Redbirds reach greater heights.
According to Van Miller, director of annual giving, “Redbird Socks have developed a very enthusiastic following among our Redbird community.”
Entering its sixth year, many alumni and friends are eager to add this year’s pair to their collection.
“I look forward to the release of the new Redbird Socks,” said Foundation Board member Jim Knecht ’68. “I buy and wear them to support a great cause and be an ambassador for ISU. The socks garner lots of comments and questions and let me tell the REDBIRD story.”
That sentiment is true for many Redbirds. “Our goal is to design a sock that people want to wear, but what’s most important is helping students,” Miller said. “That’s why we focus our messaging on the impact that these gifts have on students who desperately need our help.”
Support Redbird Socks for Scholarships and get your pair today!
