NEW ORLEANS (Nov. 10, 2016) – The UNCF New Orleans Walk for Education, known as the walk-a-thon, raised an estimated $142,052 this year, surpassing its $110,000 goal, according to numbers provided by UNCF and Dillard.

More than 400 Dillard students and about 40 faculty represented the school at the Oct. 8 event in Audubon Park, about the same as last year, according to Erica Durousseau, Dillard’s development officer for Alumni Relations. Two Dillard students also finished first in the 5K walk-run.

Julia Gable, UNCF spokesperson, noted this year’s goal was surpassed by $32,000. Durousseau said Dillard University raised $21,350 of the amount while Xavier raised $45,500 All monies raised are added together and divided equally, she added.

Toren Arnold, a junior biology major from New Orleans, and Sasha Newman, a junior nursing major from Antioch, Calif., placed first in the Dillard/Xavier men’s and women’s college divisions. Arnold posted a time of 18:20. Hydeia Barney, a sophomore psychology major from Pittsburgh, Calif., finished first in the female teen division.

Each year, the event raises funds to provide students with resources to get to and through college successfully. Sponsors for the fundraiser included WWL-TV, Audubon Nature Institute and Shell.

Of winning his division, Arnold said, “Coming into this race, I wasn’t nervous whatsoever. The environment was very uplifting. People were handing out water, people were cheering and supporting as I was running, not to mention the Dillard/Xavier rivalry always makes this event so much better.”