Vol. 15, No. 36 - July 18, 2011

Truman recently completed its five-year “Bright Minds Bright Futures” fundraising campaign, eclipsing a $30 million goal by more than $600,000.

The University’s first-ever comprehensive campaign ended June 30, 2011, with a total of $30,638,357 in cash, pledges and new planned gift commitments.


“I am deeply grateful to the thousands of alumni and friends who have responded so generously to our call for support,” said President Troy Paino. “Over the past five years, the campaign has received a total of 18,690 gifts, including 12,298 from alumni.”

In all, donors established a total of 194 new funds with the Truman State University Foundation, including 120 new named scholarship funds.

The campaign featured several major priorities, including student scholarships, student enrichment and academic program support, faculty support, athletics and various mission enhancement initiatives. According to Paino, student scholarships were the focal point of the campaign, and donors responded generously to this priority. A total of $14,018,594 was generated in scholarships from the campaign, nearly 46 percent of all dollars raised.

“The University is committed to remaining financially accessible and providing exceptional value,” he said. “Truman competes with other highly selective colleges, most with substantial endowments, for talented students. These additional resources will help us attract qualified students with financial need.”

A second major priority included generating new resources for student learning opportunities outside the classroom. A total of $8,285,294 has been raised for student enrichment and academic programs, impacting areas such as study abroad, distinguished speaker series, library enhancements, lectureships, student undergraduate research, programs to benefit the schools and departments, cultural programs and internships.

Other gifts provided campus art, the University’s first endowed faculty chair and faculty professorship, capital and facility improvements, a student and faculty emergency fund and support for athletics, among many others.

“While the economic environment of the past few years made it a challenging climate to secure resources, I am humbled by the generous response from our donors and excited about Truman’s future,” Paino said. “It is clear that private gift support from alumni and friends will play an increasingly important role as Truman moves forward, and we have established a solid base for future campaign efforts.”

The University received exceptionally strong support from the local and regional community, as alumni and friends from its Northeast Missouri Alumni Chapter collectively contributed $8.3 million to the campaign, including $1.3 million from Truman’s faculty and staff.

Campaign priorities were determined through a collaborative planning process that began in 2005 and included input from campus faculty and staff, from key University stakeholders and goals from the University strategic plan. The campaign officially opened July 1, 2006 and concluded June 30, 2011.

Chuck Foudree, retired vice president and chief financial officer for Harmon Industries in Kansas City, served as campaign chair and led a corps of more than 100 volunteers who helped conduct regional campaign efforts designed to gather participation from alumni and friends across the country. Former University President Dr. Charles McClain served as the campaign’s honorary chair.

“The devotion and impact of our volunteers on the Bright Minds Bright Futures campaign is inestimable,” Paino said.

                             Marc Rice — Music