Funds top $15 million despite poor economy –
For the first time in history, the Missouri State University Foundation topped the $15 million mark in Fiscal Year 2009, which ended June 30. As a result, students, faculty, academic departments and special activities will be the beneficiaries of another record fundraising year, despite the difficult economic climate.
Missouri State raised a grand total of $15,044,534 during the year – a monthly average of over $1.25 million. This sets a new record of giving for the institution and exceeds the record-breaking total from 2007-08 by $1 million.
“We are very pleased with the great year especially in these hard economic times,” said Brent Dunn, vice president for university advancement. “We celebrate the impact of the gifts on our students and the many programs at our university.”
Over the past four years, the university has raised an average of over $1 million per month. Each year, the funds help to achieve the university’s overall goals of increasing student access to higher education and recruiting and maintaining quality faculty members.
“The donors of Missouri State University understand the importance of education in this and every economic environment,” said Missouri State President Michael T. Nietzel. “Their extreme generosity this year demonstrates their great confidence in the university and its faculty, staff and programs. We are grateful for the continued support, and we will continue to be good stewards of the money that has been donated to Missouri State.”
The Missouri State University Foundation was established in 1981 as the fund-raising arm of the university. Since then, the Foundation has received $145 million through outright gifts, and an additional $40 million has been recorded through deferred commitments. The outright gifts are already being utilized on campus. The deferred gifts will come to the university at a later date through trusts, annuities, life insurance and other instruments.
“Thank you to the thousands of alumni and friends that have contributed to the Missouri State Foundation this past fiscal year,” said Joseph Turner, president of the Missouri State University Foundation. “It says a lot about our institution that we have had another record year in giving despite the economic situation. Investing in higher education is important.”
Recently, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) recognized Missouri State for its fundraising success over the past year by awarding the 2009 CASE-WealthEngine Awards for educational fundraising. The award honors “superior fundraising programs” across the country as part of CASE’s Circle of Excellence program.
For more information, contact Dunn at (417) 836-6666 or brentdunn@missouristate.edu.
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