Welcome to Fundraising Friday: AB Today’s weekly digest of recent developments in development.
Former four-year teammates on the Eastern Michigan University cross country and track teams, Dan McClory and Keith Moore, have given $2 million toward the construction of EMU’s new outdoor track and field complex — part of Phase Two of the Championship Building Plan, the school announced Tuesday.
Western Carolina University has received gifts from two former student-athletes toward its “Fill the Western Sky” comprehensive fundraising campaign, which intends to earmark at least $30 million of its overall target of $75 million for athletic facility upgrades. Former Catamount tennis player Tad Grattan and spouse Susan have committed $1 million to the campaign, and John Clayton "Clay" Cox, a former kicker for the WCU football team, has made gifts and pledges totaling $100,000.
NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade has committed a $3 million gift to his alma mater — Marquette University — that will make a major impact on three areas at the university. The gift will extend the Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading Program, establish the Wade Scholars and support a new men’s basketball practice facility in a future expansion of the Athletic and Human Performance Research Center, the school announced last week.
The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation has awarded $500,000 to Northwood University in Midland, Mich., fund the David J. Arnold Football Endowment. The purpose of the David J. Arnold Football Endowment — named for the longtime high school, college and professional football coach who spent 12 years as a Northwood volunteer assistant — is to enhance the university’s football program with critical investments in coaches’ salaries, coaching aids and equipment, academic aid to players, team travel and equipment, according to the school.
Wayne Robinson, the brother of University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff vice chancellor for intercollegiate athletics Chris Robinson, has continued his support of the institution by making a $20,000 donation to the school’s athletic department in honor of their mother, Deloris Robinson. According to the school, the gift is the latest in a surge of fundraising that has led to several athletics improvements, including the Gatorade UAPB Fuel Station sponsored by Pepsi, the Renovation of the Thomas May Field House, renovation of the Student-Athlete Academic Center into one of the best in the country, future renovation of locker room facilities for all 14 sports programs, and prospective groundbreaking of the softball field house and soccer and track and field facility.
Total amount of these gifts:
$6,620,000
