March Challenge 2021 returns to our traditional format -- a good-natured rivalry among NCSSM graduating classes to see which can recruit the most members to give in support of the transformative student experience that defines our school.

Who will be this year’s NCSSM National Champion? Will the Class of 2003 secure victory again? Or will Class of 2000 come back and reclaim their title? Or will one of our youngest alumni classes take the championship this year?

This year we’re aiming to surpass the success of our last March Challenge in 2019 with a goal of 1,000 alumni donors contributing $100K!

Your gifts will support some of our greatest and most important needs: student research, academic competitions, student activities, and attracting world-class faculty, just to name a few.

Donations go to the Greater Challenge Fund and are unrestricted -- funding the margin of excellence that defines North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

Support a Class

Class Leaderboard

Goal= Living Alumni (residential and online) | % to Goal = % Participation

How will a winner be crowned?

  • Participation: The alumni class with the highest participation will win. Participation is calculated by taking the number of donors from an individual class and dividing it by its number of living alumni.
  • Gift Minimum: All gifts of $5 or more made during March will count. Remember, all donations during this timeframe, even by alumni who’ve donated earlier in the fiscal year, count toward this challenge. And, when an alumni couple donates, each alum counts for their class!

During the competition, check how your class is doing on the participation leaderboard above! We’ll update you regularly via email and on social media.

Are there other rules?

  • Future Alumni: Future alumni classes of 2021 and 2022 are invited to compete in March Challenge too, and if alumni aren’t careful, they could easily win!
  • Additional Incentives: Are you celebrating your reunion in fall 2021? We are talking to you, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016. Your Reunion Challenge starts NOW! We challenge you to reach the percentage of your class contributing to NCSSM that corresponds to your years since graduation. For example, 1986 should be aiming for 35% participation to celebrate their 35th reunion.

How else can I help?

  • Engage with NCSSM: Help us create excitement around March Challenge by posting to Facebook class pages and your own pages, sharing why you give, and posting pictures of you in your NCSSM swag throughout March with the hashtag #NCSSMMarchChallenge.
  • Activate Your Class: Reach out to your classmates -- call, text, tweet, message! However you do it, make sure to challenge your classmates to contribute to help your class -- and NCSSM -- win!

Follow the Challenge on Social Media