Despite economic woes donations reach record high
By: Joseph Russell
Issue date: 7/18/08 Section: Sports
The men's basketball team broke the record for most wins in a season in 2007-08 and the football team reached its fourth bowl game in five years, a historic mark for the school. These weren't the only records broken last year, as donations to the Tiger Scholarship Fund exceeded a record $6 million.
University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson announced earlier this week that the TSF, which is responsible for raising scholarship money for U of M student-athletes, reached a new high during the 07-08 fiscal year that ended June 30.
"That's pretty good, huh? It's much more meaningful now with the financial situation we're all going through," Johnson said, referring to the slipping economy.
While Johnson said he wished he could take a few of his own dollars down to Tunica and turn it into $6 million for the athletic program, he knows all of the success from the TSF comes from donations.
"Tuition keeps going up and our budgets keep going down," Johnson said. "It shows the loyalty of our supporters for them to still give. We rely on donations a lot more than people realize."
The $6 million broke the previous record of $5.6 million donated to the athletic department during the 2007 fiscal year.
Breaking this record is nothing new for Johnson, as TSF donation totals have increased each year since 2000, when it reached $3 million for the first time. In 2002, the TSF surpassed $4 million and then $5 million in 2006.
These record donations come after the Tigers basketball team reached the NCAA championship game last season, which Johnson said deserves credit for helping the raise in donations. But he said that's not the only reason people gave.
"Obviously, what the basketball team did gave donations some thrust, but all of our athletic programs have been successful lately," Johnson said. "People get excited about athletics. It's a passionate area for people."
Johnson said the success of the basketball and football teams helped expose The University to possible donors, but not all of those donors actually graduated from The U of M.
"Not all of our donors are alumni, but they're all Tiger fans," Johnson said.
Members of the TSF held events throughout the state during the past year to raise money and spark interest from people who had previously not had the chance to donate. These events included key speakers including men's basketball coach John Calipari and head football coach Tommy West.
Kenneth Siegfried, assistant athletic director for TSF, said not only has he seen alumni from other schools donate to The U of M, but he's also seen an increase in younger donors. He said it was refreshing to see people just out of college already willing to donate money to The University.
Siegfried was impressed with the record number because he knew how people were hurting financially.
"A lot of donors tell me how bad our economy is and the cuts they have to make in their own lives, but it says a lot that they still want to donate," Siegfried said.
University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson announced earlier this week that the TSF, which is responsible for raising scholarship money for U of M student-athletes, reached a new high during the 07-08 fiscal year that ended June 30.
"That's pretty good, huh? It's much more meaningful now with the financial situation we're all going through," Johnson said, referring to the slipping economy.
While Johnson said he wished he could take a few of his own dollars down to Tunica and turn it into $6 million for the athletic program, he knows all of the success from the TSF comes from donations.
"Tuition keeps going up and our budgets keep going down," Johnson said. "It shows the loyalty of our supporters for them to still give. We rely on donations a lot more than people realize."
The $6 million broke the previous record of $5.6 million donated to the athletic department during the 2007 fiscal year.
Breaking this record is nothing new for Johnson, as TSF donation totals have increased each year since 2000, when it reached $3 million for the first time. In 2002, the TSF surpassed $4 million and then $5 million in 2006.
These record donations come after the Tigers basketball team reached the NCAA championship game last season, which Johnson said deserves credit for helping the raise in donations. But he said that's not the only reason people gave.
"Obviously, what the basketball team did gave donations some thrust, but all of our athletic programs have been successful lately," Johnson said. "People get excited about athletics. It's a passionate area for people."
Johnson said the success of the basketball and football teams helped expose The University to possible donors, but not all of those donors actually graduated from The U of M.
"Not all of our donors are alumni, but they're all Tiger fans," Johnson said.
Members of the TSF held events throughout the state during the past year to raise money and spark interest from people who had previously not had the chance to donate. These events included key speakers including men's basketball coach John Calipari and head football coach Tommy West.
Kenneth Siegfried, assistant athletic director for TSF, said not only has he seen alumni from other schools donate to The U of M, but he's also seen an increase in younger donors. He said it was refreshing to see people just out of college already willing to donate money to The University.
Siegfried was impressed with the record number because he knew how people were hurting financially.
"A lot of donors tell me how bad our economy is and the cuts they have to make in their own lives, but it says a lot that they still want to donate," Siegfried said.