2008 Woodie Awards
Increase in athletic donations will fund facilities, awards
Julia Hansen
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: News
Athletic donations are rising rapidly.
Donations to the athletic department increased by more than $32,000 from the 2006 fiscal year to the 2007 fiscal year. The money donated is put toward athletic scholarships, facilities, equipment and other programs that make the 21 University-sponsored sports possible.
Athletic donations rose over the last few years because of increased campaigning for donations through organizations like the Truman Bulldog Club. Truman's official athletic fundraising organization has been in existence since 1987 but is growing faster than ever.
Director of Athletics Jerry Wollmering said that in addition to the increasing donations, the student activity fee helped improve the athletic department.
The athletic department and the Office of Advancement have been working together more within the last few years to encourage donations and athletic support, director of development Charles Hunsaker said. During the 2007 fiscal year, donors contributed $178,398 to the athletic department, he said. The 2006 fiscal year brought in $146,222, and the 2005 fiscal year brought in $110,114, Hunsaker said. Hunsaker said he is excited about the increase in athletic donations at Truman and thinks the support in both academics and athletics will continue to help elevate the school's status.
"We're a great academic institution," Hunsaker said. "I think ideally people will look at Truman and not say, 'That's a great academic institution,' but just say, 'That's a great institution,' so I think you need to have a high level of everything you do."
Hunsaker said the Office of Advancement is getting ready to launch a campaign to raise $1 million to add visiting team bleachers to the football stadium and to renovate the kennels on the stadium's west end. The kennels, which house the locker and meeting rooms for the football team, have not been renovated in decades.
Another reason donations are up is because individual sports have put solicitations out to their sport's alumni and their families and friends trying to raise money for their specific programs, Wollmering said.
Donations to the athletic department increased by more than $32,000 from the 2006 fiscal year to the 2007 fiscal year. The money donated is put toward athletic scholarships, facilities, equipment and other programs that make the 21 University-sponsored sports possible.
Athletic donations rose over the last few years because of increased campaigning for donations through organizations like the Truman Bulldog Club. Truman's official athletic fundraising organization has been in existence since 1987 but is growing faster than ever.
Director of Athletics Jerry Wollmering said that in addition to the increasing donations, the student activity fee helped improve the athletic department.
The athletic department and the Office of Advancement have been working together more within the last few years to encourage donations and athletic support, director of development Charles Hunsaker said. During the 2007 fiscal year, donors contributed $178,398 to the athletic department, he said. The 2006 fiscal year brought in $146,222, and the 2005 fiscal year brought in $110,114, Hunsaker said. Hunsaker said he is excited about the increase in athletic donations at Truman and thinks the support in both academics and athletics will continue to help elevate the school's status.
"We're a great academic institution," Hunsaker said. "I think ideally people will look at Truman and not say, 'That's a great academic institution,' but just say, 'That's a great institution,' so I think you need to have a high level of everything you do."
Hunsaker said the Office of Advancement is getting ready to launch a campaign to raise $1 million to add visiting team bleachers to the football stadium and to renovate the kennels on the stadium's west end. The kennels, which house the locker and meeting rooms for the football team, have not been renovated in decades.
Another reason donations are up is because individual sports have put solicitations out to their sport's alumni and their families and friends trying to raise money for their specific programs, Wollmering said.
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