Fundraising Friday: Baylor Receives $10M Toward Performance Center

Welcome to Fundraising Friday: AB Today's weekly digest of recent developments in development.

Baylor University announced last Friday a $10 million gift from Bob Simpson to support Baylor Athletics and the Give Light Capital Fund. Baylor will recognize Simpson's philanthropic support through the naming of the Bob R. Simpson Performance Center within the Jay and Jenny Allison Development Center at the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. The 6,000-square-foot training space will feature an 18-millimeter PLAE training surface with six inlaid platforms; six Power Lift racks, six Keiser Performance Trainers utilizing compressed air; a turf training area and lanes between racks, a Boost treadmill and a medicine ball wall. A portion of Simpson's gift will also support future capital enhancements to Baylor Ballpark, with naming recognition to celebrate this gift. An additional portion of his gift establishes the Bob R. Simpson Endowed Excellence Fund for Men's Basketball, providing significant resourcing for Baylor's Men's Basketball program such as travel expenditures, equipment purchases and other costs associated with the running of a national championship-caliber program. 

Eastern New Mexico University announced Monday that it had received its largest donation in school history — a $2.5 million gift from Steve and Linda Loy. The money will endow an athletic scholarship each for the football and basketball programs, as well as an assistant coach position to "attract and retain assistant coaches." The donation will also help seed a President's Leadership Academy, as reported by The Santa Fe New Mexican, citing a university release. The academy will be developed to teach ENMU student-athletes leadership skills and apply them within the general student population and the community.

Esteemed alum Kenneth Dixon will significantly enhance the University of Central Florida's athletics programs with $5 million of a total $10 million gift announced by the school Tuesday. The athletics funding will enhance the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village, the portion of campus dedicated to athletic competition as well as the health and wellbeing, academic services and professional development of Knights’ student-athletes. The gift will also support key initiatives aimed at maintaining competitive excellence as UCF grows in the Big 12 Conference. As part of the Mission XII program, UCF is creating a one-of-a-kind football campus to help the football team succeed at the highest levels of competition and enhance the fan experience. Mission XII also involves striving to expand and enhance game and practice facilities for all UCF teams throughout the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village, the school said.

Eastern Michigan University football alum and current Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby and wife Rachel, an EMU soccer alum, have donated $1 million to help revamp the Eagles' football field and other athletic programs. As reported by The Eastern Echo student newspaper, the contribution will fund removal of the existing track, installation of a new playing surface and other substantial athletic improvements. In recognition of Crosby's impact, the field will be named Maxx Crosby Field.

Total amount of these gifts:

$18,500,000