The sesquicentennial year has been a great way to look back on the University’s history and celebrate the people, milestones and events that have shaped Truman. The 150th anniversary has also fueled a passion to build for the future – to ensure current and future Bulldogs have the same life-changing opportunities as the alumni who have gone before them.
Two major fundraising efforts have centered around Truman’s special year: the 1867 Challenge and the renovation of Sesquicentennial Plaza.
The 1867 Challenge – named for the year Truman was founded, was 1,867 minutes long. For 31 hours and seven minutes between Nov. 15-16, donors had the opportunity to take advantage of matching support to the Truman Fund for Excellence, the Faculty Development Fund and Truman Athletics. Special challenge hours over the course of the campaign offered increased matching funds for graduates of the last decade, first-time donors, faculty and staff and other groups.
Three challenge areas received generous matching donations from alumni: Mike and Janet (Yearns) McClaskey supported the Truman Fund for Excellence; Larry and Sharron Quisenberry focused on the Faculty Development Fund; and Mark and Jill (Matthys) Schell aided Athletics. All three areas fall into the “Pursue the Future” campaign priorities. Donations to campaign priority areas provide vital resources that allow students to pursue their futures while helping the University build for the next 150 years and beyond.
During the challenge, 449 gifts were made to the featured challenge areas. Including matching gifts, more than $136,000 was contributed. More details on the impact of the endeavor are available online at 150.truman.edu/1867challenge.
While the 1867 Challenge figuratively paves the way for future students, the Sesquicentennial Plaza renovation literally paves the way. This project gives alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends of the University the opportunity to invest in the renovation of the mall directly east of the Student Union Building. The mall area between McClain Hall and the Student Union Building was completed in 2015. The Sesquicentennial Plaza renovation picks up where that effort ended.
With a gift of $150 to the Sesquicentennial Plaza Fund, donors have the opportunity to personalize a 4”x 8” brick. Personalized 8”x 8” pavers are available with a $500 donation. Bricks and pavers can honor a grad year, celebrate the accomplishments of a friend or loved one, memorialize a mentor or acknowledge the contributions of a student organization. Greek characters can be included on the bricks. Contributions to the Sesquicentennial Plaza Fund will provide resources to renovate and maintain the University mall and allow donors to make their mark on Truman’s campus.
In addition to personalized bricks and pavers, naming rights for larger items along the mall are available. Benches, garden plots, the fountain and the plaza are up for grabs. To learn more about named gifts, or how to contribute to the plaza renovation, contact Stacy Tucker-Potter in the Office of Advancement at (800) 452-6678 or stuckerpotter@truman.edu.
More information regarding the Sesquicentennial Plaza renovation, including the opportunity to personalize a brick or paver, is available online at 150plaza.truman.edu. The campaign will end June 30, 2018 with the installation of bricks and pavers to follow.
