2009 Foundation Annual Report - University Blogs - Missouri State ...

Your Annual Gift Makes A DifferenceMissouri State is committed to providing our students the opportunityto earn a high quality education. Constraints of state funding havecreated financial challenges for students. Many are from modest means;some are first generation college students. More than half of the costof an education now comes from tuition and fees. This is a big changefrom 30 years ago when the state covered nearly 80% of the cost of aneducation at Missouri State. Your gifts allow Missouri State to continueto improve the opportunities for students.Annual giving is one of the mosteffective and direct ways alumni, parents,friends, faculty and staff can contributeto the success of Missouri State and ourstudents. Thousands of individuals makegifts each year that, when combined,make an incredible impact for students.During Fiscal Year 2009, the Universityreceived 29,983 annual gifts, raisingmore than $7 million. Of that amount,more than $100,000 was contributedthrough corporate matching gifts.Every gift to the Annual Fund, nomatter the size, is important to helpprovide the resources needed tocontinue the academic excellenceprovided to students. Gifts may bedesignated to a college, department orprogram of a donor’s choice. Gifts tothe General University Fund provideresources for the areas of greatest needand provide funding for special needs,projects and unforeseen challenges thatoccur. Each college, department andsome programs have a general fund, aswell as a scholarship fund specificallyfor that area.There are numerous ways in whichannual gifts can be made to MissouriState. Some of the most well known are:• Missouri State Phone Campaign• Direct mail• E-mail and online• All-University Campaign, for facultyand staff• Parents Campaign for the MeyerLibraryThe Missouri State Phone Campaignprovides more than 40 current studentsthe opportunity to have one-on-onecontact with alumni, parents andfriends of the University. During FiscalYear 2009, student callers phonedmore than 65,000 individuals, raisingapproximately $480,000 in pledgesfor academic and special campaigns.Callers update addresses, obtain e-mailaddresses for the Alumni E-Newsletter,and provide campus news. Many callersare working their way through collegeand have scholarships that are fundedthrough private giving. Alumni havebeen incredibly responsive to helpingstudents with scholarships and programneeds while parents are particularlysupportive of the Meyer Library.The All-University Campaignprovides an annual opportunity forfaculty and staff members to showsupport for Missouri State and itsprograms. Appreciation is extended toall faculty and staff who contributed tomaking the All-University Campaign asuccess in 2009.There are varied opportunities toparticipate and provide support toMissouri State University. Whateveryour gift size and wherever thedesignation, your annual gift is sovery important and so incrediblyappreciated! Thank you!The Importanceof Private Giving• The state only covers roughly35% of the cost of aneducation; your support ismore important than ever tohelp keep tuition affordableand to maximize availablescholarships.• The average Missouri Statestudent graduates with$24,000 in student loans.• Your gift helps attracttalented students to MissouriState and helps currentstudents finish their degree.• Every gift makes anincredible impact on theUniversity and our studentswhen combined with thegifts of our other alumni,friends, parents, faculty, staffand students.Once again, thank you!Your annual participationis important and impactsstudents’ lives!30.2009 Annual Report Missouri State University Foundation 31.