Foundation President's Message

Arthur H. Rathjen

It is an exciting time at UW Oshkosh and the Foundation with the successful completion of the pride. purpose. promise capital campaign. The impact of this endeavor is obvious on campus with construction of Sage Hall, the newly named academic building, scheduled for occupancy in fall 2011; increased scholarships to help our growing student body; collaborative research projects to ensure faculty and students are able to share ideas and work in partnership; and support of our annual giving programs — the lifeblood of the institution.

With the 2010 calendar year now behind us, I am indebted to the friends who contributed to the growth and success of this University during the past year. More than 5,200 alumni donated in excess of $1 million to their alma mater. Corporate and foundation contributors added nearly $1.4 million more. Even more remarkable, during such tough economic times, is the fact that almost 20 percent of the 5,828 total donors made their first contribution to the Foundation in 2010.

You may wonder how a modest-sized gift from an individual could really make much of a difference, but consider this:  gifts of $100 or less generated more than $220,500 in 2010. That's almost a quarter of a million dollars. While the bottom line might be exciting, what really humbles me is thinking about the thousands of individual donors who have chosen to share their financial support with the UW Oshkosh Foundation.

We're honored that you have entrusted us with the responsibility to use your gifts wisely and we value our relationships with our alumni, friends and patrons here at the Foundation.  

May we all enjoy prosperous days ahead in calendar year 2011!