BOSTON – The Boston University Department of Athletics announced that it received $3.51 million in donations during the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2018, including a new high of $2.168 million raised through the Annual Fund.

In addition, the $1.33 million in gifts made to capital projects and endowments is included within the overall total.

"The BU Athletics community rallied around our student-athletes in yet another example of inspirational generosity this past year," Director of Athletics Drew Marrochello said. "The collective momentum built from Terrier Nation as we enter the final year of the Campaign for Boston University is nothing short of tremendous and allows us to continue to build upon the experience we offer our student-athletes." 

The year was punctuated by several transformative gifts that assisted in the completion of various initiatives, including the following highlights:

Giving Day – The fifth annual BU Giving Day, held on April 11, once again proved to be a record-breaking event as $1,293,882 was raised in support of Terrier student-athletes. In fact, 5,777 unique gifts were made to varsity programs and club sports, representing 58% of all gifts made to the University as part of the 24-hour initiative. For the second consecutive year, Mary Buletza (Questrom '80) served as Giving Day chair. The initiative's success was made possible by 27 donors who created unique sport-specific challenges as well as 97 individuals who made a contribution of $2,500-plus through appreciated securities, donor advised funds or cash. The support received greatly enhances the operating budget for each varsity program.

Endowed Scholarships – Four new endowed scholarships were funded, raising the total amount awarded to varsity student-athletes and club sport participants to 46. 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. In addition, 11 individuals funded a summer-term scholarship in support of men's hockey student-athletes at the $10,000 level and above, allowing team members to gain valuable course credit over the summer while training on-campus.

Capital Projects – The Campaign for Boston University has resulted in a number of completed capital projects the last few years, including the addition of the J. Mark Enriquez (CAS '81) Shooting Room in Agganis Arena. Several impactful projects remain in need of funding, including the renovation of various team spaces.

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, 15 varsity programs exceeded the amount raised during the previous year.  

Staff and Student-Athlete Giving – In 2017-18, BU Athletics achieved 100% participation for its staff giving campaign for the third consecutive year with 101 members contributing. Also, for the first time ever, current Terrier student-athlete giving reached 100% participation from all 536 varsity team members.

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.

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, as well as  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. That includes 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 GoTerriers.com/Donate or contact the Terrier Athletics Fund via phone (617-353-3008) or email (terriers@bu.edu).