Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø sets fundraising record; endowment passes $200M

Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø alumni, parents and friends were responsible for a record-setting year. Fundraising totals broke the previous record by approximately $2 million. 

More than 18,000 gifts added up to more than $24 million in philanthropic support of Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø¡¯s mission during the 2021-2022 fiscal year, and donor gifts pushed the college¡¯s endowment to cross the $200 million threshold for the first time in Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø¡¯s 162-year history. 

Especially important to this year¡¯s fundraising success was the first installment of a $40 million gift from alumnus Murry Gerber ¡®75 to fund the new financial aid program Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible, and an anonymous $2 million gift to fund further renovations in Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts.

¡°Gifts supporting the student experience, faculty scholarship, innovation, financial aid and campus improvements all made a difference and will provide a strong foundation for the year ahead,¡± said Andrea Talentino, president of the college.

Talentino credits her predecessor, Steve Bahls, who served as the college president until June 30, 2022, and the college¡¯s fundraising and philanthropy professionals for the record-breaking year. 

¡°As a newcomer to the community, I was especially impressed by the 742 new first-time donors in this fund year,¡± said Talentino. ¡°I was equally pleased to learn that the average gift was about $50, which means we have many donors engaged in the support of the mission.¡±

Giving rate is double national average

The percentage of alumni who gave to Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø in the 2021-2022 fiscal year was 16.4%. 

¡°This giving percentage is important to our U.S. News & World Report ranking," said Kent Barnds, executive vice president, who oversees philanthropy at Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø.

¡°The percentage of alumni who give serves as a proxy for how satisfied our graduates are with their alma mater,¡± he said. ¡°At Augie, we¡¯re proud that our alumni giving rate is about twice the national average, which rests at about 8%.¡±

Among the other important areas of fundraising focus, $2.5 million was raised for the Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Fund, which supports important annual objectives. 

Also this year, the college launched a new program ¡ª Friends of Music ¡ª which attracted 388 donors, many of whom are alumni who have fond memories of the college¡¯s music programs. Friends of Music, in its first year, raised more than $1 million. And the Viking Club, which supports the experience of more than 700 student-athletes, raised more than $193,000.  

During Homecoming Week Oct. 9-16, 2022, the college will start a new tradition of flying a specially designed flag to recognize the class with the highest percentage of donors in the last fiscal year. This year the Class 1955 earned the honor, with a giving percentage of 37.6%. 

¡°All sources of funds matter,¡± said Barnds. ¡°Providing students with access to the tools they need to succeed comes at a cost, and that cost is more than what is covered by tuition alone. At Augie, we¡¯re proud of the way donors step up to help provide the resources necessary to give students an unforgettable and inspiring experience.¡±