Truman raises $18 million
Andrea Hewitt
Issue date: 10/22/09 Section: News
Truman's first fundraising campaign to raise $30 million was announced during Homecoming week.
The "Bright Minds Bright Futures" campaign was launched in July 2006 because of Truman's low endowment rate but previously has been in a strictly private phase, campaign chair Chuck Foudree said.
"We've been contacting people that have been successful in their careers and have a history of generosity toward the University," Foundree said. "That phase will continue. We still have probably 50 prospects - and we hope that will expand - that we will call on privately, and everyone else will be canvassed in the public phase of the campaign."
Until the campaign went public, all donors were contacted in person by a team made up primarily by Former University President Barbara Dixon, during her tenure, and the campaign steering committee, said Mark Gambiana, vice president for University advancement.
Now that the campaign is in the public stage, they are targeting a wider pool of potential donors.
"We're going to have regional campaigns in 11 sites across the country, including Chicago, Des Moines, St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Dallas, Phoenix, Florida and Denver," Gambiana said. "The cities where we have a high concentration of alumni will have a campaign kickoff event. We've recruited volunteers within those regions. We'll have the event followed up with personal visits and phone calls and direct mail. Everyone will be asked to contribute."
The campaign has raised more than $18 million, which is 62 percent of the goal according to an Oct. 1 press release.
The campaign has funded 64 new scholarships since its launch date, according to a Sept. 24 press release.
The campaign was launched for three main reasons: to provide more opportunity for students, to maintain the distinctiveness of Truman and to respond to the fiscal challenges Truman faces, Gambiana said.
"We were ripe to have a campaign," Gambiana said. "We are finding some first campaign growing pains, if you will, because we haven't been at it very long. We've made very good progress. … We've had some unexpected headwinds. Last fall's global crisis and the stock market meltdown had a huge impact, and Truman's leadership change."
Gambiana said they plan to reach the $30 million goal by the time the campaign concludes on June 30, 2011.
"This campaign will position Truman to fulfill its aspiration of becoming the nation's premier public liberal arts and sciences university," Interim President Darrell Krueger said in an Oct. 9 press release. "Each priority is important to Truman's future and will help provide [a] margin of excellent resources that only private gifts can achieve."
The "Bright Minds Bright Futures" campaign was launched in July 2006 because of Truman's low endowment rate but previously has been in a strictly private phase, campaign chair Chuck Foudree said.
"We've been contacting people that have been successful in their careers and have a history of generosity toward the University," Foundree said. "That phase will continue. We still have probably 50 prospects - and we hope that will expand - that we will call on privately, and everyone else will be canvassed in the public phase of the campaign."
Until the campaign went public, all donors were contacted in person by a team made up primarily by Former University President Barbara Dixon, during her tenure, and the campaign steering committee, said Mark Gambiana, vice president for University advancement.
Now that the campaign is in the public stage, they are targeting a wider pool of potential donors.
"We're going to have regional campaigns in 11 sites across the country, including Chicago, Des Moines, St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Dallas, Phoenix, Florida and Denver," Gambiana said. "The cities where we have a high concentration of alumni will have a campaign kickoff event. We've recruited volunteers within those regions. We'll have the event followed up with personal visits and phone calls and direct mail. Everyone will be asked to contribute."
The campaign has raised more than $18 million, which is 62 percent of the goal according to an Oct. 1 press release.
The campaign has funded 64 new scholarships since its launch date, according to a Sept. 24 press release.
The campaign was launched for three main reasons: to provide more opportunity for students, to maintain the distinctiveness of Truman and to respond to the fiscal challenges Truman faces, Gambiana said.
"We were ripe to have a campaign," Gambiana said. "We are finding some first campaign growing pains, if you will, because we haven't been at it very long. We've made very good progress. … We've had some unexpected headwinds. Last fall's global crisis and the stock market meltdown had a huge impact, and Truman's leadership change."
Gambiana said they plan to reach the $30 million goal by the time the campaign concludes on June 30, 2011.
"This campaign will position Truman to fulfill its aspiration of becoming the nation's premier public liberal arts and sciences university," Interim President Darrell Krueger said in an Oct. 9 press release. "Each priority is important to Truman's future and will help provide [a] margin of excellent resources that only private gifts can achieve."
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