Development & Foundation Relations
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Betty Gossett Associate Vice President for University Development Assistant Executive Director of the Fredonia College Foundation |
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Director of Alumni Relations |
Michael Barone Director of Public Relations
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Patricia Feraldi
Mission of the division
 Download a PDF of the 2010 Advancement Division Annual Report |
The Division of University Advancement is charged with creating and strengthening SUNY Fredonia’s relationships with important partners.
The Development and Alumni Affairs areas coordinate outreach activities and initiatives with friends and donors, as well as Fredonia’s more than 40,000 alumni. Through governmental relations efforts, the division works strategically with elected officials at the county, state and federal levels of government to maximize funding opportunities for the university.
The Public Relations department manages the flow of information between the university and a variety of internal and external audiences. It includes, but is not limited to, media relations, community relations, publications, and student/employee relations activities, and supports the efforts of alumni and governmental relations as well as development.
Mission of the Development Office
and the Fredonia College Foundation
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Fredonia College Foundation |
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OFFICERS:
DIRECTORS:
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The Fredonia College Foundation was incorporated in 1964. The foundation was established to accept financial contributions, hold and invest endowment accounts, and award grants tostrengthen the educational programs of SUNY Fredonia. It is a not-for-profit corporation separate from the university that exists solely for the benefit of the school. A volunteer board of directors oversees its activities, and all contributions to the foundation are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Gifts to the Fredonia College Foundation from alumni, employees, parents, foundations, corporations and businesses, and friends support SUNY Fredonia’s most critical programs: scholarships, research, international study, internships, externships, academic departments, athletics and more. These are the programs that define the educational experience at SUNY Fredonia that transform students’ lives.
The Fredonia College Foundation continues to provide the margin of excellence that makes SUNY Fredonia one of the top public universities in the North. Each year, the foundation provides funding for student scholarships and special academic enrichment. In 2010, the Fredonia College Foundation provided over $1 million in scholarships to 750 students.
To help keep the university strong, the Fredonia College Foundation, working in tandem with the University Advancement Development office, is in the midst of an aggressive $15 million capital campaign to support new scholarships, educational enrichment, research opportunities and cultural activities. The public phase of the “Doors to Success” capital campaign for Fredonia commenced in a highly publicized campus ceremony in May 2008.
Doors to Success Capital Campaign 2010 Update
The sharp economic recession has created a very challenging fundraising environment, and the Advancement division and its development staff have expanded efforts at outreach. Development officers have been meeting with donors to discuss ways in which they can support SUNY Fredonia, with an emphasis on considering planned giving options until such time as equity markets recover. Individual and group meetings continued and discussions focused on how donors can help students and programs by participating in the campaign.
The “Doors to Success” campaign concluded its fourth year with $10,183,146 received in gifts, pledges and bequest commitments as of December 31, 2009, and has already surpassed $11.6 million as of September 2010. The campaign continues to make steady progress toward its $15 million dollar goal by the end of calendar year 2011.
The Campus Capital Campaign and Joint Campaign Steering committees continued to meet regularly throughout 2009 to monitor the progress of various campaign-related efforts an activities, and provide advice and counsel as appropriate.
The Development team, comprised of Vice President David Tiffany, Karen West, Betty Gossett, Timothy Murphy, Heather McKeever, June Miller-Spann and Richard Ryan, continued to work on a priority list of key alumni, foundation, corporate and “friend” prospects, and during 2009 logged over 800 substantial contacts with major donors and prospects.
Throughout the year, emphasis was placed on educating donors and prospects about the opportunities to support SUNY Fredonia through the capital campaign. In addition, donor stewardship activities were an important part of the overall campaign initiative in 2009.
Annual Fund 2010 update
Gifts to the Annual Fund during 2009 totaled $323,323, an increase of $52,010 or 19 percent from a year ago. Direct mail solicitations generated $80,099, while various Phonathon campaigns brought in $51,529. Giving by faculty, staff and emeritus totaled $86,642. The annual corporate appeal provided $38,440 in support.
The annual report return envelope, begun in 2006, generated $14,165. The 2009 yearend appeal was successful and garnered $33,784 in additional contributions.
As part of the Annual Fund cycle in 2009, two e-mail blasts were sent to over 16,000 alumni in an effort to introduce Fredonia’s new online giving vehicle. Web gift activity was respectable in 2009 resulting in $13,396 in donations. Revenue from the Parent Phonathon program, with a participation rate of 17 percent, and the All-Campus Appeal (fundraising activities targeting SUNY Fredonia faculty and staff), with a participation rate of approximately 20 percent, continues to grow, despite the difficult regional and national economic climate.
2009-10 Major Activities of the Development Office and Fredonia College Foundation
- In 2009, $1,288,284 in scholarships and grants were awarded.
- Twenty-nine new fully endowed funds exceeding $500,000 were established in 2009. Notable new endowments include the Lash Endowment, Johnson Endowment, Bob and Betty Young Endowment, Heichberger Leadership Endowment, and Mary Joyce Schaefer Endowment.
- A major challenge grant in the amount of $300,000 from the John R. Oishei Foundation was accepted in 2009. The grant will benefit the Technology Incubator project in Dunkirk, N.Y.
- Congressman Brian Higgins secured a $150,000 appropriation in support of SUNY Fredonia’s Technology Incubator.
- The board authorized the formation of a private, not-forprofit corporation to benefit the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator project.
- A successful Distinguished Service Award event was held on May 9, 2009. The honorees included Gileen French, The Holmberg Foundation and the Quatroche Family.
- The annual Scholars Breakfast was held in October. There were 1,300 students and guests in attendance at the Steele Hall Arena event.
- The Holmberg Foundation of Jamestown provided $15,000 in funding to continue support of the Biology department’s summer student internships.
- The Werner Foundation provided a gift of $18,000 to support tuition and fees for three Communication Disorders and Sciences students.
- The M&T Charitable Foundation provided $20,000 in support of the Keeper of the Dream Scholarship and Leadership program.
- The annual Alumni Golf Tournament netted $6,000 in contributions.
Alumni Affairs
The Office of Alumni Affairs serves approximately 40,000 graduates. The SUNY Fredonia Alumni Association supports the university by sponsoring events such as Homecoming and reunion gatherings (both on- and off-campus), providing scholarships, and offering support to alumni through networking and mentoring opportunities.
The Fredonia Alumni Association Board of Directors has a significant impact on the success of the Office of Alumni Affairs’ programs, goals and objectives. All of their work promotes and builds upon SUNY Fredonia’s proud traditions and sense of community and connection.
Highlights of 2009-2010:
- Homecoming 2009: Honored in 2009 for their outstanding achievement were John Baust, Ph.D., ’65 (Biology); Kimberlee Neifer Caldwell, Ph.D., ’87 (Recombinant Gene Technology), and Clifton Turner, ’84 (Business Administration). Additional highlights were the Frazeur-Schweik Concert in Rosch Recital Hall, the re-dedication of the Class of 1964’s gift to the campus: the sculpture, “ Protected Dialogue;” the 1973-1975 Jazz Ensemble Reunion, and several soccer games in the new University Stadium.
- Regional Reunions: The Alumni Affairs office sponsored a number of receptions in Oakdale (Long Island) on September 12, Chicago on September 17, Washington, D.C., on September 30; Raleigh, N.C., on November 4, Baltimore on November 12, and Syracuse on November 14. Additional alumni activities included The School of Music’s alumni reception in Rochester as part of the annual NYSSMA Conference held on December 14, and regional reunions in Erie, Pa., on December 11; and in Florida at “The Villages” on January 27 and Delray Beach on January 30.
- Class Reunion/50-Year Reunion: The 50-year class reunion was held on June 12, exactly 50 years to the day that the Class of 1960 graduated. The reunion committee decided to commit to endowing a scholarship as its class gift.
- Elected at the November meeting of the Fredonia Alumni Association Board of Directors to serve a three-year term were David Fountaine, Ph.D., ’79; Dennis McGrath, J.D., ’79, and Clifton Turner, ‘84.
- Selected 25 new student Ambassadors for 2009-2010.
- Implemented newly-revised scholarship selection procedure; awarded 35 scholarships.
- Participated in People of Color Conference Weekend April 16 and 17.
- Concluded successful Class of 2010 Senior Challenge Campaign, which raised in excess of $6,000.
- Sponsored Ann Arbor, Mich., and Saratoga Springs reunions on May 14 and June 14, 2009.
- Contracted with Harris Connect Publishing to create a new Alumni Directory.
- Sponsored two-day 50-year reunion for Class of 1959 on June 5 and 6, 2009. The gift of a windmill will provide clean, safe and efficient wind power for the Fredonia College Lodge facilities.
- Sponsored Class of 1954 55-year reunion dinner on June 6, 2009.
- Participated in the Alumni Leadership Conference for Communication Disorders and Sciences department in July 2009
- Represented SUNY Fredonia at Buffalo Homecoming Citybration with other area alumni offices.
- Assisted in organizing the first Fredonia State Alumni Golf Tournament in July 2009.
- Sponsored a successful Black/Latino Alumni Reunion/NABTA fundraiser in New York City which raised approximately $5,000.
- Alumna Dianne Kricheldorf, ’54, was honored at National Philanthropy Day on November 18, 2009, in Buffalo for her outstanding contributions to SUNY Fredonia.
Public Relations
The Public Relations office provides important information to SUNY Fredonia’s internal and external audiences through all available media and other communication channels. In addition, the office is responsible for planning long-term strategies for university-wide marketing communications, supporting campus and community event management and other promotional efforts; administering, editing and designing university websites; directing photography and videography services; and writing, editing and publishing the Statementalumni magazine and the weekly Campus Report online news update during the academic year.
The School of Music earned national publicity when
it was invited to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" at
a Buffalo Bills game in Nov. 2009.
(view at www.youtube.com/sunyfredonia).
Important accomplishments during the 2009-10 academic year include the following:
- Obtained and coordinated an opportunity for some of Fredonia’s top student vocalists from its School of Music to perform the national anthem during a November 29 Buffalo Bills game, before a sold-out crowd of nearly 70,000.
- Faculty Interviews: Gained numerous faculty interview opportunities, including Drs. David Rankin, James Hurtgen and Richard Jankowski in Political Science; Russ Boisjoly and Donald Barnes from the School of Business, and Gary Lash in the Department of Geosciences.
- Additionally, dozens of interviews were coordinated for President Dennis Hefner and other campus administrators.
- Continued publicity relating to the new Technology Incubator, including its new director, its grand opening, a $300,000 Oishei Foundation grant and a $125,000 Chautauqua County IDA grant,
in addition to publicity generated whenever new tenants are signed or reach key milestones. - A new alumni website/social networking forum, “FredConnect,” was launched in June, complete with a new online giving tool.