Welcome to Fundraising Friday, AB Today's weekly digest of recent developments in development.
The University of Texas athletic department and the Longhorn Foundation announced Tuesday a transformative $10 million gift from Jason and Kisha Itkin in support of the new Silver Spurs Center, part of the state-of-the-art Texas Football Training Facility currently under construction adjacent to Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. In recognition of their generosity, the space will be recognized as the Jason & Kisha Itkin Silver Spurs Center, "creating a lasting legacy that will benefit generations of Longhorns," according to the announcement.
Tuesday also saw the University of Arizona athletic announce a transformative gift of its own — $4.4 million from the estate of alum and longtime supporter Paul Muscenti ('58), establishing an endowed scholarship to benefit Wildcat student-athletes across all sports. According to the announcement, Arizona Athletics will celebrate Muscenti's legacy during an upcoming Wildcats' home football game. The gift comes just weeks after a $5 million gift endowed the UA athletic director position, as reported by AB Today.
On Wednesday, Southern Methodist University's athletic department announced a $1 million gift from Doyle and Somer Glass to the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund. According to the announcement, the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund plays a central role in supporting SMU's ability to provide direct financial benefits to student-athletes while sustaining the department's momentum in the Atlantic Coast Conference. This gift represents the first seven-figure contribution toward SMU's RevShare-related fundraising initiatives.
Meanwhile, the University of North Carolina Asheville athletic department announced Wednesday that it has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Buncombe County Tourism Authority through its Tourism Product Development Fund for the Bulldogs' new on-campus tennis facility project. This funding, along with additional grants and private contributions, will help support this important facility for both the campus and community. The development of the on-campus tennis facility was announced on July 18, 2024, as a part of the ALL IN Comprehensive Campaign, according to the announcement.
Total amount of these gifts:
$15,900,000
Running total for 2025:
$1,015,568,500
Total amount tracked by AB Today in 2024:
$943,830,339
