October 11, 2002

Annual Fund ends year with a bang!

At the beginning of the 2001 - 02 fiscal year, Loyola's annual fund team demonstrated both its ambition and enthusiasm by projecting a goal of 18-percent alumni participation, a feat never achieved at Loyola ­ until now. At the end of this fiscal year, the annual fund had successfully achieved a total of 5,070 alumni donors and increased alumni participation to 18.67 percent, a record for both the Office of the Annual Fund and the university. "We were so pleased with this year's turnout," notes Catherine Comisky Marsh, A'94, director of the annual fund, "and we owe all of our success to our dedicated alumni and donors."

Marsh says that the increased number of alumni donors coincides with the "Ten Dollar" campaign that encouraged Loyola alumni who had never given before to give just $10 to help move the university into the Top 10 list of the 28 Jesuit colleges for alumni giving. "We wanted everyone to know that even the smallest contribution can really make a difference. Every dollar helps increase our national ranking," Marsh emphasizes.

The annual fund team also planned the Alumni Walkway campaign. Marsh, along with Assistant Director Carla Strickland and Program Coordinator Donna Arceneaux, staffed tables at alumni events and sent out letters to inform the community of the first-ever opportunity to purchase bricks that will be used to pave the new alumni walkway on Loyola's main campus. Their efforts secured 700 bricks for the walkway, 200 of which were purchased by alumni who had previously never donated to the university.

Another crucial element of this year's annual fund success was consistent and increased alumni participation. The annual fund also owes much of its donor success to the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations, which has been working hard to recruit younger donors and increase the corps of alumni volunteers. The success of the Annual Fund is due, in large part, to donors who give again and again. Marsh explains, "As we work more closely with alumni and integrate development into all alumni events, we're definitely seeing a positive difference in our numbers."

The team has set an even higher goal for 2002 - 03, with hopes of 20 percent alumni participation for the upcoming fiscal year. In order to achieve this goal, plans are to focus on making sure last year's donors renew and increase their gifts. Also, the annual fund office will encourage donors to restrict their gifts to a specific college or department. Each of Loyola's college deans and many faculty played a huge part in helping solicit donors this year. Therefore, the annual fund wishes to return the favor by helping gather specific funds for each college.

"We hit a major milestone with 18 percent alumni participation," Marsh states. "However, we have a long way to go to meet our ultimate goal of 25 percent participation within the next three years. We've gone far, but we're not finished yet."

Claire E. Kuehn, Assistant Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations