IFC chapters raise $1700 for philanthropies through partnership with Uber

Through the Interfraternity Council’s recent partnership with Uber, students were able to ride for a cause.

Since its founding in 2009, the transportation network app has become a must-have for college students who often do not have cars and need a cheap way to get home, especially after a night out. This summer, IFC partnered with the app as a fundraiser for its chapters’ philanthropies.

“I think it was a win-win-win for a lot of parties involved,” said senior Mark Francis, IFC vice president of community interactions. “It was great for IFC because it was a very easy way to raise money for philanthropy.”

Earlier this year, an Uber representative reached out to IFC to seek a partnership for a back-to-school promotion, Francis said. The app assigned a unique code for each fraternity chapter that was participating. The promo codes gave $10 discounts on rides as well as one free month of the app’s loyalty program to whomever used them.

For each person that used a particular chapter’s code, Uber gave five dollars to that chapter. By the time the promotion period was over, IFC was able to raise $1,715, and each chapter donated the money to its respective philanthropy, Francis explained.

The promotion involved 10 of the 17 IFC chapters and lasted from Aug. 23, the first day of Orientation Week, to Sept. 10.

“Oftentimes, traditional ways of raising money involved a lot more overhead cost and a lot more time and effort and we don’t raise as much,” Francis said. “I think it was also good for the Duke community because during Orientation, first-year students and upperclassmen alike are going out to and from events off-campus a lot, and I think safety is always a priority.”

He also noted that it helped first-year students become aware of Uber as a convenient and cost-effective mode of transportation.

Although the fraternity chapters did not advertise explicitly through social media, the information travelled quickly via word-of-mouth, Francis said. Fraternity brothers told their friends, and the promotion gained popularity among students.

Evangeline George, Uber’s North Carolina spokesperson, said that the company was also able to benefit from the promotion. 

“Partnering with Duke’s IFC helped us get the word out to students about the access to safe, reliable and affordable rides that Uber offers with the tap of a button,” George said. “No matter the time or place, from a ride back to the dorm after a night out or a trip to the grocery store, students can depend on Uber, and our technology allows a focus on safety before, during and after ever ride in ways that have never been possible before.”

Students noted that the promotion was beneficial to them as well. First-year Raisa Reed explained that Uber came in extra handy for first-years who did not have a car to get around Durham.

“I definitely think they should partner up with Uber again because that’s how we get anywhere,” Raisa said. “[IFC] would make a lot of people happy if they continue to partner up!”