The following article appeared in the March 2016 issue of Athletic Management. It highlights Marion High School's Giant Challenge Alumni Weekend.
Caitlin Hayes is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management. She can be reached at: ch@MomentumMedia.com.
In early September, Arizona
Cardinals defensive back Patrick Peterson donated $1 million to his alma mater,
Louisiana State University, to help fund a renovation to the Football
Operations Center. It was one of the largest single contributions to athletics
by a former LSU football player, and Peterson was recognized on the field at
the Tigers’ 2015 home opener.
The donation was noteworthy not just
because it was large but because it was from the ranks of professional
athletes, a group that traditionally has not opened their wallets for their
alma maters. What happened next was also significant. A few days later, pledge
cards came in from two more former Tigers currently in the NFL, Bennie Logan
and Tyrann Mathieu.
“I think there’s a bit of a culture
shift happening,” says Kristen Cain, LSU’s Special Events and Community
Relations Coordinator, who runs the L Club, a group specifically for alumni
athletes. “More players are giving back to their universities—and they are
offering large donations.
“Behind the scenes, we’re doing a
better job of reaching out to our former athletes,” she adds. “We’re educating
them about our athletic foundation and what we do with donated money.”
While Peterson’s gift generated
headlines, the trend is not exclusive to large athletic departments. “Alumni
and fundraising go together, and if you’re not tapping into or at least trying
to cultivate your former athletes, you’re probably not doing your job as
effectively as you could,” says Tim Schoonveld, Co-Athletic Director at NCAA
Division III Hope College. “Like a lot of schools, we’re trying to find news
ways to draw in alumni athletes. We’re not looking to create a booster club.
But we’re looking to really engage our alumni in what we’re doing.”
Jamy Bechler, Athletic Director at
Marion (Ind.) High School, echoes Schoonveld’s thoughts and adds that you can’t
look at it as a one-way street. “Reaching out to alumni athletes is essential
from a fundraising standpoint,” he says. “But you’ve got to know and appreciate
your past. No former athlete wants to be forgotten. Those alumni made your
teams great. We’re working hard to honor them and connect with them.”
