A nation rises up
What giving made possible
Crowd funding comes to UT
Forty
Removing barriers to success
the
Annual Giving Newsletter 2014
THANK YOU FOR TAKING US OVER THE GOAL LINE. It is thrilling to announce that we have successfully completed the $3 billion Campaign for Texas. In the eight years between 2006 and today, we have raised more than $3.1 billion. In the past year alone, we raised more than $856 million, setting a record for Texas higher education. It often is said, if you want to know what a person believes in, look at his or her checkbook. You believed in UT. And you voted with your checkbook to pursue a vision of true excellence, a vision of UT Austin as America’s best. My heart is filled with thanks for every member of the Longhorn family who helped us. The campaign may be over, but the university’s work is ongoing. Our research continues to build upon itself as new discov-
eries lead to new questions, and we continue to compete with our peers for the nation’s best students and faculty. I invite you to help us maintain our momentum and contribute every year to the area on the Forty Acres that stirs your passion. I am excited to witness the university’s transformation in the years to come and to know that this transformation was the fruit of your hope and your trust.
WHAT IS LONGHORN NATION? Longhorn Nation is the loyal community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends who recognize The University of Texas at Austin’s power to transform the world.
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It’s the more than 271,000 donors who helped the university successfully complete the Campaign for Texas — the state’s most ambitious nonprofit fundraising effort to date — on Aug. 31, 2014, topping its $3 billion goal by $115 million.
It Counts. More than
271,000
It’s the students benefitting from transformative scholarships created during the campaign — students such as Brenden McDonough, recipient of the 2014 Rio Grande Valley Scholars Program scholarship. “I feel truly blessed,” says Brenden, “as this has helped make my dream of attending UT Austin a reality.”
donors helped the university successfully complete the Campaign for Texas
I couldn’t do this without you. It’s only fitting that sophomore Leslie Jordan wound up at The University of Texas at Austin. It was through the Jackson School of Geoscience’s college prep program GeoFORCE that she discovered her passion for geology as a freshman in high school.
It was Leslie’s connection with GeoFORCE through UT Austin that landed her a summer internship with the USGS Menlo Park Science Center. And donor support helped pay for her housing, which otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to afford.
“It was on a geologic field trip during my second summer in GeoFORCE that I knew I wanted to be a geologist,” says Leslie. “I was at the Grand Canyon and I just looked around and knew. I love geology because it’s like a puzzle that’s bigger than ourselves. It’s such a large part of everyone’s life that I just couldn’t take it for granted.”
She also receives a merit-based scholarship that covers her tuition in full. “With a younger sister just starting college as well, I wouldn’t be able to afford to be at UT without donor support,” says Leslie. “I can’t say how much I appreciate all of the support I’ve received. And how happy I am to be here at UT Austin.”
The state’s most ambitious nonprofit fundraising effort to date topped its $3 billion goal by
$115 million
33 percent of alumni helped make a difference during the Campaign for Texas by making gifts of all sizes, including more than
225,000
who made a gift of less than $1,000
It’s faculty such as biomedical engineering professor James Tunnell, who is fighting cancer by working to design gold nanoparticles that can be injected into the bloodstream, then seek out and attach themselves to and kill cancer cells while leaving nearby healthy cells unharmed. It’s the grateful students who gather on Gregory Gym Plaza every November to thank the generous supporters who help make their Longhorn education possible on the exact day that classes would end if UT Austin operated on tuition and fees alone. It’s the tens of thousands of fans who fill Darrell K Royal Stadium in the fall to unleash their burnt orange pride. It’s the power of participation — the 33 percent of alumni who helped make a difference during the Campaign for Texas by making gifts of all sizes, including more than 225,000 who made a gift of less than $1,000. YOU are Longhorn Nation.
The Forty | Fall 2014
Make a gift today: giving.utexas.edu/forty
IT TAKES A NATION TO RAISE $3.12 BILLION —
Professor Warren Spector “The Denius-Sams Gaming Academy (DSGA), a new program at The University of Texas at Austin, is just the latest in a series of innovative initiatives undertaken by the university. The video game business is booming, becoming an increasingly profitable industry, an ever more potent cultural force and even a well-respected art form. The DSGA’s goal is to train the next generation of video game development leaders, putting our graduates at the forefront of this burgeoning field. The DSGA clearly puts UT on the cutting edge of technology, industry, and education, and none of this would have been possible without the philanthropic contributions of key donors like Wofford Denius and Paul Sams, as well as the strong support of the Moody College of Communication and the university as a whole.”
LONGHORN NATION.
More than 270,000 of you, members of Longhorn Nation — students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends — stepped up and gave gifts of all sizes during the eight-year campaign. The campaign, which ended Aug. 31, sought to build on UT’s tradition as a world-class university.
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Your gifts to the campaign sparked a campus building boom and an influx of student and faculty talent. They opened the world of scientific research to the newest members of our campus community. They made it possible for future social workers to afford to serve the public, and they enabled a rising star to intern at the White House. They gave the ROTC program a stellar home in the new Liberal Arts Building, and they brought a leading-edge video game academy to the Forty Acres. But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what your fellow Longhorns have to say about what your gifts have made possible. Professor Erin Dolan “The investments made during the Campaign for Texas have been crucial to ensuring that any interested freshman gets an opportunity to participate in cutting-edge scientific research. UT’s Freshman Research Initiative is attracting more students to science from more diverse backgrounds and is setting the trend in higher education — students are learning science by doing science.” Recent alumna Delilah Dominguez “Without the generous assistance I received from the St. David’s Foundation through the GRACE Program, I would not have been able to afford to study at the School of Social Work. There is a particular need to fund the educational experiences of individuals who are embarking on careers in public service. Often students who pursue
Of course, that’s just a sample of the amazing work made possible by the Campaign for Texas. To learn more about what you, members of the Longhorn Nation, accomplished together, go to giving.utexas.edu/campaign.
a field such as social work are aware that they’re not entering a financially lucrative job market. The soaring cost of education creates a problem in this regard because students must decide between pursuing their dreams of contributing to public service or sacrificing them because of financial reasons. Philanthropy has the ability to reduce this burden for individuals who have decided to dedicate their lives to the betterment of society.”
Thank you does not express the gratitude I feel.
Recent alumna Damilola Olatayo “Philanthropy afforded me the opportunity to participate in the Summer 2013 White House Internship Program. My time at the White House undoubtedly changed my trajectory by introducing me to the idea of tri-sector leadership and by forcing me to begin to examine the systemic and structural issues that plague our world. The people I met, the skills I gained, and the insight that I left with will all be invaluable in helping me to bring about the type of change that I wish to see.”
Thanks to the Dianne and Leslie White Endowed Scholarship in the School of Social Work, established during the Campaign for Texas, Nick Sheffield, ’15, has been afforded the opportunity to be a Young People For (YP4) fellow. This leadership development program equips students with the skills and resources necessary to create lasting change on their campuses and in their communities.
ROTC Cadet Peter Seidule “Philanthropy is an enormous part of being a student at UT, both in the way it benefits you and in the ways you can benefit others. Here in the ROTC department we have been extremely lucky to have amazing donors who have provided us premier facilities. These facilities are creating an incredible training environment that has propelled our program to immense growth and improvement during my time here.”
“YP4 opened doors for me and paired me with a mentor who worked with me to create a blueprint for social change,” says Nick.
The Forty | Fall 2014
“The program helped me home in on the path I wanted to take, working with populations struggling with mental health issues.” Before Nick had any scholarship support, he worked three jobs while he was a full-time student. “With scholarships you’re investing in a student’s long-term potential,” says Nick. “It’s an investment that gives students the opportunity to actually change the world.”
Make a gift today: giving.utexas.edu/forty
RAISE YOUR HORNS: CROWDFUNDING ON THE FORTY Following a successful trend on higher education campuses across the country, UT Austin is excited to launch HornRaiser this fall. HornRaiser, the university’s official crowdfunding platform, harnesses the power of Longhorn Nation and helps individuals fund small projects across campus by engaging their social networks. “University crowdfunding is happening across the country at institutions such as UCLA and Columbia University,” says Adrian Matthys, director of UT Austin’s Annual Giving Programs. “By introducing this to Longhorn Nation, we’ll be giving individuals the opportunity
to have a direct impact on specific areas on the Forty Acres that are most meaningful to them.” Possible projects range from faculty research initiatives to campus and facilities enhancements to student travel opportunities. If the innovative, entrepreneurial spirit on the Forty Acres is any indication, the possibilities are endless. Visit hornraiser.utexas.edu to see how you can help make a difference.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE 40 HOURS CAN MAKE On April 3-4, 2014, 40 Hours for the Forty Acres raised nearly $130,000 from alumni and students for areas across campus primarily through the Web and social media. Even more impressive — this total was more than triple the goal to raise $40,000 in its inaugural year. The campaign also hoped to attract at least 400 student donors. With more than 900 student gifts received, that goal was far surpassed. “The overall idea with 40 for Forty, for both alumni and students, is to foster a culture of burnt orange philanthropy that
will become a fun, annual tradition for years to come,” says campaign committee member Luke Ward, ’14. With the bar set so high, the second annual 40 Hours for the Forty Acres — which takes place Spring 2015 — promises to be an exciting challenge. And like most challenges, this is one to which the Longhorn Nation will no doubt enthusiastically rise.
YES! As a member of Longhorn Nation I support UT Austin’s mission to change the world with a gift of: £ $1,500 £ $1,000 £ $500 £ $250 £ $100 £ Other $___________ I would like to make an ongoing monthly gift. Please charge my card until instructed to stop: £ $10/month £ $25/month £ $50/month £ Other $________/month My contribution today will be paid by: £ Check enclosed (payable to The University of Texas at Austin) £ MasterCard
£ Visa £ American Express £ Discover
Card No. _________________________________________ Expiration Date ____ /____ Signature ________________________________________
Please designate my gift to (check all that apply) £ University’s area of greatest need £ Blanton Museum of Art £ Cockrell School of Engineering £ College of Education £ College of Fine Arts £ College of Liberal Arts £ College of Natural Sciences £ College of Pharmacy £ Dell Medical School £ Diversity and Community Engagement £ Dolph Briscoe Center for American History £ Graduate School £ Harry Ransom Center £ Jackson School of Geosciences
£ Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs £ Moody College of Communication £ McCombs School of Business £ Office of the President £ School of Architecture £ School of Information £ School of Law £ School of Nursing £ School of Social Work £ School of Undergraduate Studies £ Student Affairs £ Texas Advanced Computing Center £ University of Texas Libraries £ Other _______________________ _______________________________
You may also visit giving.utexas.edu/forty to make your gift online.
SUCCESS FOR EVERY LONGHORN Students come to The University of Texas at Austin from around the world. Every student is unique, and many bring a specific set of challenges they must overcome in order to excel on the Forty Acres. Fortunately, Longhorn Nation has risen to the challenge to fund programs that help level the playing field for students who face barriers adjusting to university life.
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Horns Helping Horns For students who come to UT Austin without the benefit of family support, Horns Helping Horns can be a critical resource. Gifts from alumni, parents, and friends fund the program, which helps students in need with things many students take for granted, such as the financial costs of purchasing school supplies to intangibles such as mentoring and community building. Center for Students in Recovery Since its founding in 2004, the Center for Students in Recovery has provided students recovering from addictions a pathway to stay sober on campus and achieve academic success. The center creates a sense of community for students in recovery and can have a direct impact on a student’s life. “The program has changed my life and allowed me to live
The Forty | Fall 2014
again,” says Sierra Castedo, the center’s acting director as well as a student who has benefited from this valuable resource. “I feel like I have a purpose again.” Student Emergency Fund Every year Longhorn Nation provides generous support to keep the Student Emergency Fund thriving. The fund provides immediate financial assistance to students experiencing a temporary hardship and can prevent them from falling behind. “We help students sustain their progress at UT,” says Christa Lopez, the coordinator of Student Emergency Services in the Office of the Dean of Students. “Sometimes, without these funds, the students would have to leave the university, delaying their education a semester or a year. We help them make it to their graduation on time.”
Make a gift today: giving.utexas.edu/forty
Change Service Requested The University of Texas at Austin Annual Giving Programs P.O. Box 7458 Austin, Texas 78713-7458
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. SUPPORT LONGHORN NATION.
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