Second Consecutive Record-Breaking Fundraising Year for BU Athletics
July 13, 2017 | General
BOSTON – Thanks to the overwhelming support of Boston University alumni, parents and friends, the Terrier Athletics Fund has completed another record-breaking fundraising year.
The Department of Athletics announced that it had received $4.25 million in donations in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2017, including a new high of $2.02 million raised through the Annual Fund, reflecting an increase of 27% from last year. In addition, the $2.23 million in gifts made to capital projects and endowments is also included within the overall total.
"This year is yet another example of the unbelievable passion and generosity of the Boston University Athletics community," said Boston University Director of Athletics Drew Marrochello. "The tremendous support we receive allows us to continue to enhance the first-class student-athlete experience that we strive to offer."
The year was punctuated by several transformative gifts that assisted in the completion of various initiatives, including the following highlights:
- Giving Day – The fourth annual BU Giving Day, held on April 5, saw 3,555 gifts made to Athletics totaling $1,020,343, nearly doubling Giving Day 2016 as the single largest showing of philanthropy in department history. This success was made possible by 33 donors who made sport-specific matching gifts to individual programs while 79 individuals made a contribution of $2,500 or more. The support received for this initiative greatly enhances the operating budget for each varsity team.
- Endowed Scholarships – Five new endowed scholarships were funded, raising the total amount awarded to intercollegiate student-athletes and club sport participants to 40. Through the creation of scholarships, programs are able to attract talented student-athletes who may otherwise be unable to attend BU. The minimum level to endow a scholarship is $100,000 through the Century Challenge program.
- Capital Projects – The Campaign for Boston University has resulted in a number of completed capital projects the last few years, including a renovation of the Women's Golf locker room, a new videoboard at Nickerson Field, restoration of the DeWolfe Boathouse trophy room and a revamped Women's Lightweight and Openweight Rowing locker room that will be ready for the 2017-18 season.
- Sport-Specific Initiatives – The Coach's Cabinet (Men's Ice Hockey) and Hoops Club (Men's Basketball) were among the sport-specific initiatives that augmented the operating budgets for their respective programs. In all, 22 of 24 varsity programs exceeded the amount raised during the previous year.
- Staff & Student-Athlete Giving – In 2016-17, Athletics achieved 100% participation for its staff giving campaign for the second consecutive year with more than 100 members contributing and, for the first time, a current Terrier student-athlete initiative was launched with 91% of all varsity participants making a gift to their program.
- Planned Giving – Planned giving continues to have a meaningful impact, creating a perpetual legacy at BU through the endowment of scholarships, coaching and staff positions as well as support of capital enhancements. Several new commitments were received this year to support the long-term future of Terrier Athletics. For more information regarding how to include BU as part of your estate plans, please contact Glenn Vivian at gvivian@bu.edu.
"Moving into the final years of the Campaign for BU, Athletics has great momentum because of the incredible generosity and commitment of alumni, parents and friends," said Scott Graham, Director of Development for Athletics. "Private support through cash gifts and planned giving will be more critical than ever as we continue to build upon this success and provide even more opportunities for our student-athletes, coaches and programs."
The Terrier Athletics Fund, the fundraising arm of BU Athletics, seeks to raise annual support for the department's 24 varsity sports. Providing resources to each program through sport-specific designations, support from alumni, parents and friends assists in providing Terrier student-athletes with a world-class experience and the tools they need to compete at the highest level: nutrition, additional training gear, winter and spring training trips, travel and accommodations, summer-term scholarships, and networking and career-mentoring opportunities.
For more information on how you can make a difference in the lives of BU student-athletes, visit www.GoTerriers.com/Donate or contact the Terrier Athletics Fund at (617) 353-3008 / terriers@bu.edu.
Go BU!
