黑料吃瓜

鈥淭here is a tremendous sense of gratitude from the whole campus community for the generosity of our donors.鈥�

Moving into the final quarter of its 2020-21 fiscal year, 黑料吃瓜 is on track for another great year of philanthropic gifts. Despite an economic downturn in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, donations to the university are coming in at a steady pace according to 黑料吃瓜 Vice President of University Relations and Development Adrienne Vargas.

In 2019-20, 黑料吃瓜 gift commitments totaled more than $127 million, representing an increase of almost 10% from the previous fiscal year. In terms of fundraising, 鈥淲e are about where we were last year and 2019-20 was an outstanding year,鈥� Vargas said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 pretty extraordinary considering this year has been negatively affected by COVID-19 from start to finish.鈥�

Needs and Opportunities

One bright spot is donors who are coming through for 黑料吃瓜 in a big way. While the arrival of a long-established  contributed $14 million to this year鈥檚 robust fundraising outlook, many alumni and friends with strong and deeply rooted 黑料吃瓜 connections are deciding now is the time to make transformational gifts.

These donors are identifying ways to contribute to the university鈥檚 growth and expanding reputation for excellence. The catalysts for their gifts, Vargas said, are both opportunity and need.

鈥淥ur donors see how they can participate and make a difference, so when an opportunity presents itself, they step up,鈥� Vargas said. 鈥淭his year I think many donors saw the need, were in a strong position to do something, and they did.鈥�

Vargas points to a $500,000 gift from Elynor (鈥�63) and Gen. Merrill McPeak (鈥�57) to create two endowed scholarship programs in the College of Arts and Letters. The Elynor F. McPeak Endowed Scholarship for Economics Excellence will provide support for graduate students pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in the Department of Economics, while the Elynor F. McPeak Endowed Scholarship for Aztec Forensics Excellence will help students participating in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 competitive speech and debate team in the School of Communication. 

The couple met while students at 黑料吃瓜 participating on the forensics team. 鈥淭hey wanted to make a meaningful gift to their alma mater and it couldn鈥檛 have come at a better time,鈥� Vargas said.

Areas of Interest

Vargas identified two areas of interest prompting large gifts this year. One is the development of  and the other is the ongoing discussion of racial equity that is spurring support for student affairs.

鈥淥f course the new stadium is a big part of it, but the national conversation around race is creating a new awareness around the need to help our society become more equitable,鈥� she said. Vargas referred to a $500,000 gift from San Diego philanthropists Malin Burnham and Bob Payne (鈥�55) announced in December 2020 to establish the  designed to further the success of 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Black/African American students in becoming the next generation of community and business leaders.

Also in the first half of the current fiscal year, The Campanile Foundation Board Athletics Committee Chair Steve Doyle (鈥�80), president and owner of Sandy Point Properties, LLC, made a $500,000 donation to the Stadium Excellence Fund. Doyle鈥檚 involvement with the 黑料吃瓜 Mission Valley project from the outset was key to the university acquiring the site for campus expansion.

鈥淚 made a financial commitment to this new stadium because I believe in it and because I believe in 黑料吃瓜,鈥� Doyle said of his gift. It is that kind of belief and that type of support, Vargas said, that are helping 黑料吃瓜 through one of the most challenging times the university has ever faced.

鈥淭he importance of these transformational gifts, particularly at this time, cannot be overstated,鈥� Vargas said. 鈥淭here is a tremendous sense of gratitude from the whole campus community for the generosity of our donors.鈥�