Northwestern University and University of Illinois may be competitors on the football field, but they’re competitors in the fundraising field too! Kurt Kittner (for U of I quarterback) and EL Da’ Sheon Nix (former NU wide receiver) are currently running a competitive fundraiser and are encouraging their fellow alumni to donate!

Kurt Kittner serves on the board and EL Da’ Sheon Nix is the Administrative Coordinator of Cabrini Connections, an organization that works to provide an organized framework that empowers and encourages volunteers to give their time, skills, and support in seeking life-changing solutions for children who live in an educationally, disadvantaged environment. “The competition between NU and Illinois on the football field is the result of many men and women putting in many hours of training and hard work to be the best they can be,” says Dan Bassill, director of Cabrini Connections. “When we get donors doing all they can to help nonprofits like [us], we’ll be able to do much more to help kids overcome poverty and succeed in school and careers.”

The competition between the two schools revolved around the Northwestern-U. of I football game that took place on Nov 14th.  While Northwestern came out on top, winning 21-16, Kurt and his team of Ilini alums are still trying to win in the fundraising category by raising more dollars than EL Da’Sheon and the other NU alums who are volunteers, donors and board members at Cabrini Connections. So Far, Kurt has raised $1020, but El Da'Sheon is in the lead with $1620. Other NU athletic alumni who have already donated to the cause include Matt Ulrich, former Wildcat and Super Bowl Champion with the Indianapolis Colts, who rallied over 85 people this past October to run the second annual Train With Ron Charity Hill Challenge. As a group they ran over 3,000 hills in one hour and raised $6,800 dollars in contributions for the organization. Billy Silva (former NU linebacker), Pat Durr (former NU linebacker), Jason Burke (former NU basketball player), and Sarah Walsh (former NU lacrosse player) have also donated financially, while other former players are attending events and volunteering.