Welcome to Fundraising Friday, AB Today's weekly digest of recent developments in development.
The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla., has announced a landmark $6 million philanthropic gift from Patrick Zlupski of Dream Finders Homes to fund the creation of a state-of-the-art Athletic Performance Center on its Upper School San Jose Campus. As reported Thursday by The Recorder, the new Dream Finders Homes Athletic Performance Center will be a leading-edge facility designed to elevate training, recovery and education for Bolles athletes across all sports. The center will feature advanced strength and conditioning equipment, integrated sports science technology and a dedicated recovery room with plenty of space for teaching, learning and leadership development.
West Texas A&M University’s softball program has received one of the largest gifts ever made to a women’s athletic program at the university — an anonymous $1.5 million donation establishing a permanent endowment named for former Lady Buff and national champion Alyssa Lemos Kirsch. As reported by the Amarillo Globe-News, the Alyssa Lemos Kirsch Softball Program Endowment will support recruiting, player development, travel, equipment and long-term program sustainability.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville announced Tuesday that the Chargers will be playing basketball and volleyball in the SportsMED Arena for the next 10 years, thanks to a new partnership with SportsMED Orthopaedic Specialists P.C. The orthopedic and spine care center recently gave UAH $325,000 toward a total pledge of $1.3 million to name the gymnasium in Spragins Hall.
The University of Texas at Arlington has received a $500,000 commitment from former golf student-athlete David Daniel — one of the largest unrestricted pledges in the department’s history. Daniel’s gift will support the Athletics Excellence Fund, ensuring that student-athletes have the resources they need to succeed on the field and in the classroom, the school's Wednesday announcement stated.
Total amount of these gifts:
$9,300,000
Running total for 2025:
$1,199,168,500
Total amount tracked by AB Today in 2024:
$943,830,339
