Kansas State University Athletics
SE: Ahearn Fund’s Membership Campaign a Successful Reminder of Where Donations Go, How Every One Matters
Apr 02, 2019 | Sports Extra, Athletics, Athlete Services, Ahearn Fund
By Corbin McGuire
A national high jump champion who came from India. A heptathlete and fourth-generation K-State student who went from small-town walk-on to a Big 12 podium regular. Two basketball players as serious about their work in the classroom as their performances on the court.
These are the types of stories K-State Athletics and the Ahearn Fund shared in their latest membership campaign. It raised more than $50,000 from January 9 to March 1, double the Ahearn Fund's goal going in.
In total, 272 Wildcat fans participated in the drive that brought in 115 new members, while 157 current members elevated their annual gift toward the Ahearn Excellence Fund.
To put the amount in perspective, it covered the $40,116 in costs of out of state tuition, fees, books, room and board for one of K-State Athletics' 450 current student-athletes. This new revenue also represents a surplus of $11,545, which will cover one student-athlete's academic tutoring and advising, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, and apparel costs.
"A lot of the story was letting people know the value of every dollar," Leon Jackson III, Director of Annual Giving, said. "Giving above whatever their seat commitment is — we call it Ahearn Excellence — and knowing that money is going to be purposed for supporting our student-athlete scholarships. We wanted to tell that story."
K-State Athletics Director Gene Taylor said this message cannot be voiced enough. Whether it's to new or long-time donors, it's always positive to remind them where their donations go and who they benefit.
"They don't always realize the impact of their dollars, that they really go to support the student-athlete experience," Taylor said. "I even had a meeting the other day with some donors, and they sometimes forget that. Even our long-time donors forget about how impactful their money is to the experience our student-athletes get. It's pretty powerful to hear the student-athletes tell their stories."
Jackson connected with this part of the drive, particularly. He was a student-athlete. The former Utah State quarterback knows his life was greatly benefitted by his experiences as a student-athlete. He wanted to bring that message to the forefront of this drive.
"I align with that story so much because I know, for me, how my life and the generations after me have been changed by just the simple model of intercollegiate athletics and what we stand for as an Ahearn Fund, as a department and as a university, and how we are changing kids' lives," he said. "We're developing them from 18-year-old kids into young, mature adults so that when they graduate, they can go on and succeed in whatever avenue of life they choose. I'm a direct recipient of that, so I'm endeared to that story."
The drive also reinforced an important idea in the Ahearn Fund. Every donation, large or small, matters in giving K-State student-athletes the best experience possible. Annual donations to become a member start as low as $50.
"Anyone can make a difference and any amount can make a difference," Jackson said. "Whether it's $50, whether it's $500, whether it's $1,000, as long as you have a collective group of people who are passionate about doing something and are willing to act on that passion, you can achieve, really, anything. I think this was a small, micro example of that overall cause."
While this campaign ended in March, there's no end to the opportunity to help K-State student-athletes. Anyone interested in joining the Ahearn Fund, or wants to learn more about it, can visit its website or call 888-232-9074.
A national high jump champion who came from India. A heptathlete and fourth-generation K-State student who went from small-town walk-on to a Big 12 podium regular. Two basketball players as serious about their work in the classroom as their performances on the court.
These are the types of stories K-State Athletics and the Ahearn Fund shared in their latest membership campaign. It raised more than $50,000 from January 9 to March 1, double the Ahearn Fund's goal going in.
In total, 272 Wildcat fans participated in the drive that brought in 115 new members, while 157 current members elevated their annual gift toward the Ahearn Excellence Fund.
To put the amount in perspective, it covered the $40,116 in costs of out of state tuition, fees, books, room and board for one of K-State Athletics' 450 current student-athletes. This new revenue also represents a surplus of $11,545, which will cover one student-athlete's academic tutoring and advising, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, and apparel costs.
"A lot of the story was letting people know the value of every dollar," Leon Jackson III, Director of Annual Giving, said. "Giving above whatever their seat commitment is — we call it Ahearn Excellence — and knowing that money is going to be purposed for supporting our student-athlete scholarships. We wanted to tell that story."
K-State Athletics Director Gene Taylor said this message cannot be voiced enough. Whether it's to new or long-time donors, it's always positive to remind them where their donations go and who they benefit.
"They don't always realize the impact of their dollars, that they really go to support the student-athlete experience," Taylor said. "I even had a meeting the other day with some donors, and they sometimes forget that. Even our long-time donors forget about how impactful their money is to the experience our student-athletes get. It's pretty powerful to hear the student-athletes tell their stories."
Jackson connected with this part of the drive, particularly. He was a student-athlete. The former Utah State quarterback knows his life was greatly benefitted by his experiences as a student-athlete. He wanted to bring that message to the forefront of this drive.
"I align with that story so much because I know, for me, how my life and the generations after me have been changed by just the simple model of intercollegiate athletics and what we stand for as an Ahearn Fund, as a department and as a university, and how we are changing kids' lives," he said. "We're developing them from 18-year-old kids into young, mature adults so that when they graduate, they can go on and succeed in whatever avenue of life they choose. I'm a direct recipient of that, so I'm endeared to that story."
The drive also reinforced an important idea in the Ahearn Fund. Every donation, large or small, matters in giving K-State student-athletes the best experience possible. Annual donations to become a member start as low as $50.
"Anyone can make a difference and any amount can make a difference," Jackson said. "Whether it's $50, whether it's $500, whether it's $1,000, as long as you have a collective group of people who are passionate about doing something and are willing to act on that passion, you can achieve, really, anything. I think this was a small, micro example of that overall cause."
While this campaign ended in March, there's no end to the opportunity to help K-State student-athletes. Anyone interested in joining the Ahearn Fund, or wants to learn more about it, can visit its website or call 888-232-9074.
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