“I WENT INTO WORK EVERY DAY TO PRACTICE,
AROUND PEOPLE I LOVE. I felt like it wasn’t just me experiencing it, IT WAS THE WHOLE GROUP... THE WHOLE UNIVERSITY, THE WHOLE CITY OF OMAHA,
I kind of felt like it was our moment.” Doug McDermott, Creighton University Basketball, 2010-2014
Creighton’s home for men’s basketball is the CHI Health Center Omaha. The arena contains seven locker rooms, five dressing rooms and a media interview room. Creighton’s new state of the art men’s basketball locker room contains secure, wood-paneled lockers, a lecture room, a coaches meeting room, a players lounge and an athletic training facility. In the 2017-2018 basketball season, Creighton ranked fifth nationally in average home attendance and first in the BIG EAST Conference.
Dear Creighton Fans: Year after year, the inconceivable is conceived and then achieved. That’s one of the great values of Creighton Athletics – we discover through sports that we can do much more than we thought. Bluejay student-athletes amaze themselves, their teammates and their supporters. Our winning traditions continue with Creighton’s BIG EAST membership. While maintaining our unique identity, we advance our goal of competing in a national-caliber conference among universities with similar commitments to faith-based missions, academic quality and student-athletes. The outcomes include Creighton’s growing visibility, reputation and student body. The BIG EAST also elevates our home city in the national consciousness. Bluejay student-athletes arrive at Creighton prepared for leadership roles on campus and in Omaha. They find here some of the nation’s finest coaches, faculty and facilities and are inspired to give back because of your investments in them. Our Community Service Initiatives unite area youth with Bluejays, who volunteer more than 5,000 outreach
hours annually. In learning to give, Bluejays improve their own lives and those of others. And you are their excellent role models. You make the magic happen for the Bluejays, and you are the reason we have come this far. Typical of your generosity, many of you have asked what more you can do to build the next generation of champions. In these pages, you will find information about our major and principal gifts program, including the BIG EAST Fund, Athletic Endowment Fund and various initiatives – all vital components to our success. We look forward to helping you structure a gift that expresses your vision for the Bluejays. Unless someone passes them the ball, star athletes cannot score. Your loyalty to Creighton Athletics provides the perfect assist so that we may recruit, retain, develop and graduate outstanding student-athletes and lifelong leaders. Thank you. Let’s Go Bluejays,
Bruce Rasmussen McCormick Endowed Athletic Director
#5
“I feel so fortunate to be on an athletic scholarship here JAALI WINTERS at Creighton. Being able to come out of college debt-free is something that I will never take for granted. Creighton will always hold a special place in my heart.” HOMETOWN: ANKENY, IOWA POSITION: OUTSIDE HITTER MAJOR: BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE & ANALYTICS
The Wayne and Eileen Ryan Athletic Center and D.J. Sokol Arena, a 78,134 square-foot facility, houses a gymnasium with seating for 2,500, women’s basketball and volleyball coaches’ offices, the Jensen Family Lounge, locker rooms, ticket offices, athletic training and meeting rooms, media workrooms and is the competition site for women’s basketball and volleyball.
BIG EAST FUND Since becoming a member of the BIG EAST Conference in 2013, the Athletic Department has seen great success through many programs. It is important, however, that the Athletics leadership team is provided with ample resources to maintain Creighton’s competitive edge in the BIG EAST Conference. The BIG EAST Fund provides flexibility to address the department’s greatest current need and apply money where it does the most good, such as growing athletic scholarships, increased recruiting budgets, BIG EAST travel and maintaining competitive athletic staffing. This discretionary fund allows the leadership team to make decisions that impact the department’s success, but require additional financial resources. In addition to the financial commitment associated with Creighton’s membership transition, NCAA and conference legislation require that athletic scholarships include stipends covering the true cost of attending college - transportation, supplies and laundry money, for example. Your support of the BIG EAST Fund will help Creighton Athletics meet this financial obligation.
GIFTS OF $25,000 OR MORE allocated to the
BIG EAST Fund may qualify for select naming opportunities in select Creighton Athletics facilities. BIG EAST Fund donations do not influence Jaybacker membership benefits. Under the University’s 501(c)(3) status, all gifts made to the BIG EAST Fund are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.
In 2013, a new era arrived for Creighton Athletics when the University accepted full membership into the
BIG EAST CONFERENCE.
This day marked another significant milestone in Creighton history, as joining this elite league elevated the University.
CREIGHTON ATHLETIC ENDOWMENT FUND (AEF) Creighton student-athletes, coaches and staff know it takes more than great skills to become an outstanding competitor. It also takes endurance. The Creighton Athletic Endowment Fund will build endurance into Creighton Athletics, creating a perpetual source of support and generating revenue to sustain athletic scholarships. Increasing scholarships is a top priority for Creighton University, particularly in the athletic department. A strong Creighton Athletic Endowment Fund cements a long-term commitment that will provide resources necessary to meet our students’ educational and athletic goals while remaining competitive in the BIG EAST Conference and against regional rivals.
The athletic department’s success provides immeasurable promotional opportunities for Creighton,
That same academic year, Creighton Athletics awarded just 105 athletic scholarships, considerably under the 142 scholarships the NCAA allows for Creighton Athletics’ 14 varsity programs. The average annual investment to provide the current 105 scholarships is nearly $6 million.
105
142
elevating the University to national audiences and providing exposure it otherwise would not attract. Alumni from eight schools and colleges connect through a common team, and many Bluejay fans first learn about the University’s mission and values by following athletics.
Creighton’s current athletic endowment and annual scholarship accounts stand at an approximate total of $19 million, an amount much too modest for a program of our size, status and aspirations. As it stands, these funds currently generate just over $800,000, or enough to fully fund no more than 15 of our current 105 scholarships.
In 2017-2018, Creighton student-athletes boasted a 3.46 cumulative GPA, and 84 percent earned 3.0 GPAs or higher. The department led the BIG EAST Conference with a 98 percent graduation success rate.
Since 2013, Creighton Athletics has been able to provide the equivalent amount of ten additional full athletic scholarships due to the generosity of our supporters, but we still have much to accomplish. We ask that you join Creighton in standing beside and supporting our student-athletes by building Creighton’s Athletic Endowment Fund. A significant endowment will provide opportunities for student-athletes to achieve academic and athletic success. Your contributions free up Creighton Athletics’ unrestricted dollars – generated through our Jaybacker program, for example – across all varsity sports. When you establish an athletic department endowed fund, you create a permanent investment in Creighton, while bridging the gap between traditional scholarships and the true cost of attendance. You may choose to establish a new endowment fund or add to an existing endowment and bring Creighton Athletics closer to offering and fully funding 142 scholarships. Commitments of $50,000 or more to the Creighton Athletic Endowment Fund may be paid over five years and can be named at the donor’s discretion.
#5
“I chose Creighton University because the moment I stepped on campus, it felt like I was already part of JAYLYN AGNEW the family. The education and athletic experience that HOMETOWN: ANDOVER, KANSAS Creighton has provided me is truly one in a million.” POSITION: FORWARD MAJOR: MARKETING
#15 “Your support enables us to JASON ALLBERY compete for championships.” HOMETOWN: OMAHA, NEBRASKA POSITION: FIRST BASE MAJOR: NURSING
TD Ameritrade Park Omaha is the home of the Creighton baseball team. The stadium features a 360-degree continuous walkway on the concourse level, with both permanent and portable concession stands lining the concourse. The stadium has seating for 24,000 fans, including three decks of general grandstands, bleacher seating lining the outfield and club seating.
BY SUPPORTING any of the
Annual Athletic Scholarship Support
available opportunities in the Creighton Athletic Endowment Fund or Scholarship Program, you build Creighton’s endurance. Endowment and scholarship support plays a vital role in Creighton Athletics’ partnership with its current and future student-athletes for academic achievement and competitive success. Your gift will be a major contribution to the ongoing improvement of Creighton Athletics for years to come.
Unrestricted Athletic Scholarship Endowment An unrestricted gift commitment of $50,000 or more will establish a named scholarship offering financial assistance to a Bluejay student-athlete, selected by Creighton Athletics. This endowment serves the widest range of sports and student-athletes in perpetuity. Unrestricted scholarship endowments often represent the most generous investments, because they allow Creighton Athletics to allocate funds to the greatest need.
NAMED UNRESTRICTED ATHLETIC ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
$50,000
A commitment to an annual athletic scholarship allows the donor to make an immediate impact on current student-athletes. The rising cost of tuition and new cost of attendance guidelines have created an additional burden on athletic departments across the country, and even more so impacting Universities of similar size and stature to Creighton. Similar to supporting endowed scholarships, annual scholarship support frees up unrestricted dollars, generated through season ticket and sponsorship revenue, for example, across all varsity sports.
NAMED UNRESTRICTED ATHLETIC ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP
$20,000
Sport-Specific Athletic Scholarship Endowment A minimum gift commitment of $100,000 will endow a named, sport-specific athletic scholarship. You may designate the endowment for one of Creighton’s 14 varsity sports. By establishing an endowment at this level, you will annually support a Bluejay student-athlete in the sport of your choice.
NAMED CREIGHTON SPORT-SPECIFIC SCHOLARSHIP
$100,000
The Women’s Practice Facility will be completed in early 2019. The facility will feature an additional 16,000 square-feet of practice space that will be used primarily by the volleyball and women’s basketball programs. With space for two full basketball courts or two volleyball courts, the Women’s Practice Facility is a tremendous investment in the women’s athletics programs.
DARBY ROSETTE “None of the opportunities I have been provided at Creighton would
HOMETOWN: PORTLAND, OREGON MAJORS: MARKETING AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE & ANALYTICS
have been possible without the generous support of donors, the incredible athletic department staff, as well as my teammates, coaches and family.”
Creighton Position-Specific Endowments
Creighton Director of Athletics and Coaching Endowments
A gift commitment of $500,000 and greater establishes a named scholarship for a specific position (i.e. point guard, center, etc.) on the Bluejay men’s basketball team. A gift commitment of $250,000 allows you to name a scholarship for a specific position in any other varsity sports Creighton offers.
CREIGHTON MEN’S BASKETBALL POSITION-SPECIFIC SCHOLARSHIP
$500,000
CREIGHTON VARSITY SPORT POSITION-SPECIFIC SCHOLARSHIP
$250,000
By establishing The McCormick ENDOWED Athletic Director position, the McCormick Family ensured that Creighton Athletics will not only be able to attract and retain the very best administrators in the country, but also provide the athletic director with discretionary funds to support the areas of greatest need within the department. By endowing Head Coaching positions, you will help Creighton pursue, support and retain some of the nation’s best coaches and recruiters. You also will ease the escalating expense of coaches’ salaries.
HEAD MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH $10 MILLION THE McCORMICK ENDOWED ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Creighton Varsity Sport Endowment
ENDOWED
HEAD MEN’S SOCCER COACH
$2 MILLION
HEAD WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH
$2 MILLION
HEAD VOLLEYBALL COACH
$2 MILLION
HEAD BASEBALL COACH
$2 MILLION
CREIGHTON MEN’S BASKETBALL $10 MILLION
HEAD WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH
$2 MILLION
CREIGHTON MEN’S SOCCER
HEAD SOFTBALL COACH
$2 MILLION
Endowing a Varsity Sport will provide a transformative source of financial assistance. Your gift will support operational expenses for the program of your choice including travel, recruiting and capital projects. As a perpetual account, your investment will help the program compete for championships, establish a foundation of success and provide financial assistance forever.
$5 MILLION
CREIGHTON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL $5 MILLION
HEAD MEN’S GOLF COACH
$500,000
CREIGHTON VOLLEYBALL
$5 MILLION
HEAD WOMEN’S GOLF COACH
$500,000
CREIGHTON BASEBALL
$5 MILLION
CREIGHTON WOMEN’S SOCCER
$5 MILLION
HEAD MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS COACH
$500,000
CREIGHTON SOFTBALL
$5 MILLION
HEAD MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY COACH
$500,000
CREIGHTON VARSITY SPORT PROGRAM
$2 MILLION
HEAD ROWING COACH
$500,000
Please contact the Creighton Athletic Development Office for endowment information for assistant coach and athletic administration positions.
The Rasmussen Fitness & Sports Center field turf is used by Creighton Athletics, intramural sports, club sports and group fitness. The center features a 4,300 square-foot weight/cardio room, a two-lane suspended running track, a 60 yard x 40 yard turf field and lockers and locker rooms.
“Coming to Creighton has been the best decision I have made in my life so far. Everyone here – my coaches, teammates, professors and fellow students – push me to be the best person I can be every day. I have improved on the soccer field, but more importantly, I have become a better person.”
#6
JOEL RYDSTRAND
HOMETOWN: ALMUNGE, SWEDEN POSITION: MIDFIELDER MAJOR: DIGITAL DESIGN
The Michael G. Morrison, S.J., Stadium is Creighton’s on-campus soccer facility. The Bluejays play home matches at one of the finest on-campus soccer venues in the nation. Morrison Stadium’s seating capacity is 6,000 and, with the recent upgrade, now includes a champions room, covered chairback seating, luxury suites, an enclosed press box, concession stands, a club lounge and coaching offices.
Ways to Make a Gift to the
CREIGHTON ATHLETIC ENDOWMENT FUND Your gift of $50,000 or more establishes an Athletic Endowment, and may be payable over a 5-year period. Subject to IRS regulations, athletics contributions from which the donor receives ticket benefits are no longer deductible. Contributions from which the donor receives recognition only are deductible from income tax to the amount fully allowable by law, which generally is 100%. For more information, please consult with a tax advisor. The Creighton Athletic Development Office will work with each donor to customize an individual giving plan, including the funding method used to establish the endowment. Donors and the Athletic Development Office staff will work together to draft the terms of the endowment agreement. Once established, the athletic department annually receives an amount from the endowment and makes every effort to select a student-athlete or other athletic department position that honors the specific criteria set forth in the agreement. The athletic department approves all proposed naming opportunities.
METHODS OF MAKING YOUR GIFT INCLUDE: CHECK/MONEY ORDER Checks and money orders should be made payable to Creighton University. CREDIT CARDS Creighton University Development accepts all major credit cards including MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express. SECURITIES Donors may make charitable contributions of securities via electronic transfers and physical stock certificates.
MATCHING GIFTS Many companies will match your contributions to the Creighton Athletic Endowment Fund. Submit your company’s matching gift form with your contribution. PLANNED GIVING AND BEQUESTS Donors may use deferred gift vehicles to establish named endowed funds. Deferred or planned gifts such as bequests, income producing gifts, beneficiary designations of life insurance and retirement assets also can be used to establish an endowment in the future.
Thank you! Go Bluejays!
THE ROAD TO SUCCESS
is always
UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY HERITAGE SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP If the Creighton family had not expressed a desire to establish and endow the University in its estate plans, there would not be a Creighton University today. Ever since the will of Mary Lucretia Creighton gave life to the dream of her husband Edward, charitable bequests have been a popular way for people to support the University, including Creighton Athletics. Charitable bequests and other types of deferred gifts often are called “planned gifts.”
To pay tribute to those who share the vision of our founders, the Creighton University Heritage Society has been established. To make a planned gift to benefit Creighton Athletics and become a member of the Heritage Society, simply mail a copy of the portion of your will, trust, life insurance policy or other beneficiary designation form pertaining to your bequest to the Athletic Development Office. Listed are additional methods through which you can support future generations of Creighton student-athletes and join the Heritage Society. Your membership in the Heritage Society is a special commitment and for this we say “thank you.” It not only helps Creighton student-athletes excel in the classrooms and on the court and field but also serves as an example that can motivate others to follow your lead in supporting Creighton Athletics.
GIFT METHODS TO IMPACT THE PROVISION IN A WILL OR REVOCABLE TRUST To make a commitment to support future Bluejay Athletic Programs, ask your attorney to use the sample language on the next page as a guide for your will or revocable living trust. Your pledge will provide a legacy for many. If your will or trust has been prepared, adding a codicil or amendment will update your gift intention. INCOME-PRODUCING GIFTS Through different arrangements, supporting Creighton Athletics also can provide payments to you to augment your current or retirement income. These gift instruments can be structured to provide fixed or variable payments that have the potential to grow over time. Payments can be for the lives of one or more individuals or for a number
of years. Cash, long-term appreciated securities, corporate bonds, mutual funds or real estate all can be put to work for you and for Creighton Athletics. Your contribution can provide you with an income tax deduction for a portion of the assets transferred to Creighton and a flexible way to help the Bluejays. CHARITABLE LEAD TRUST This type of charitable trust provides income payouts to benefit Creighton Athletics for your life and that of your spouse for a specific number of years. When the trust terminates, its assets are transferred to you or your family, potentially decreasing gift and/or estate taxes. There are myriad ways in which you may specify how the income is to be used.
FUTURE OF CREIGHTON ATHLETICS TESTAMENTARY GIFT OF RETIREMENT ASSETS Naming Creighton University beneficiary is the first step to using your tax-deferred retirement account to support the Bluejays. A written agreement with the University stating that the funds will benefit Creighton Athletics will ensure your contribution is used in the manner you state. Contact your plan administrator to obtain the change of beneficiary form and the Athletic Development Office for further details. LIFE INSURANCE OR ANNUITY POLICY You can contribute your life insurance or annuity policy by completing a change of ownership form with your insurance company and naming Creighton University as the new owner. This change in ownership can provide you with an immediate charitable income tax deduction, and you also may be able to
deduct future insurance premium payments. Just as with tax-deferred retirement accounts, an agreement with the University stating that the funds will benefit Creighton Athletics will ensure your contribution is used in the manner you state. REAL ESTATE You can contribute your residence, vacation home or farm while retaining the right to occupy or use the property for your lifetime and receive a current charitable income tax deduction. Creighton will receive full control of your property when your lifetime interest ends, or you also may terminate your interest voluntarily. The proceeds from the sale of your property will benefit Creighton Athletics as you specify.
The Championship Center is an athletic practice, training and academic support facility. The Championship Center houses two practice courts, a locker room, a players’ lounge, an athletic performance center, an athletic training center, an academic resource center and offices for men’s basketball coaches and staff. All student-athletes use this facility for academic support, athletic training and strength and conditioning services.
Proposed Language for a Gift Provision in a Will or Revocable Trust
RECOGNITION AND BENEFITS
To make a gift through your will or living trust, the following language may be used:
Recognition will be provided in the following ways for all who become members of the Heritage Society benefiting Creighton Athletics:
“I give to Creighton University (tax ID #47-0376583), a non-profit corporation located in Omaha, Nebraska… A
the sum of $________; or,
B
________ percent of my estate; or,
C
all the rest, remainder and residue of my estate, including property over which I shall have power of appointment at my passing, after all debts, taxes, expenses and other bequests have been satisfied...
for the unrestricted use by the Department of Athletics… A
to supplement the BIG EAST Fund; or,
B
to establish a fund to be known as the “__________ Fund,” a permanent endowment to benefit Athletics, income from which will be used to __________, as permitted by law; or,
C
for the purpose of _________.”
• Invitation to Heritage Society events • Recipient of an attractive glass etched cache box If you already have included a gift to Creighton through a bequest or other planned gift, we hope you will let us know by completing an Estate Gift Confirmation form. All information will remain confidential, including your identity, if you desire. If you have not yet included Creighton in your plans and you would like to explore the best options for you and your family, do not hesitate to contact the Creighton Athletic Development Office for more information.
*When establishing or reviewing your estate plan, we recommend that you consult with your professional advisor.
The Golf Learning Facility features four heated hitting bays that open up to a driving range. TrackMan© technology allows video analysis capabilities for each swing using infrared technology. The building also features a spacious area to work on chipping and putting, the most fundamental aspect of the game.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have been a student-athlete at this SARAH EVERSMAN impressive University, and cannot thank Creighton Athletics and all its HOMETOWN: SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA MAJORS: BIOLOGY AND HEALTH supporters enough for giving me the opportunity to travel around the ADMINISTRATION & POLICY country playing a sport I love while creating life-long friendships.”
CREIGHTON ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT GoCreighton.com/GIVING 402-280-GIVE AthleticDevelopment@Creighton.edu 2500 California Plaza Omaha, NE 68178