Spring Break
'Torchbearers' lead the way
Greg Vandas
Issue date: 12/1/08 Section: News
Students, faculty and staff members sporting jeans and UMKC apparel were able to further enhance their school spirit and the university's educational experience Nov. 20 by participating in UMKC Logo and Blue Jeans Day.
An institution-wide event sponsored by the Torchbearer Campaign to promote philanthropy toward the school, volunteers accepted donations to UMKC departments and programs at various locations on the Volker and Hospital Hill campuses.
Gifts of five dollars or more were rewarded with Torchbearer lapel pins and the distinguished title of an official "UMKC Torchbearer."
David Hanzlick, director of Development for the UMKC Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and National Donor Research, explained the purpose of annual Torchbearer events like this one.
"It was started [in 2002] as a way of providing an opportunity for faculty and staff to make gifts to their area of choice," Hanzlick said. "So it is very much a donor-directed gift, one that goes to the donor's interests."
The donations were designated for a broad range of academic units, campus organizations, alumni associations, research programs and scholarship endowments.
But the special focus this year was the upcoming renovation and expansion of the Miller Nichols Library. Philanthropists were encouraged to express their school pride by giving directly to the $70 million project, which will be one of UMKC's largest and most expensive in the next few years.
Popular recipients also included the School of Dentistry, KCUR FM radio and the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.
"The goal for this year is gifts from about 725 individuals or organizations … anything from just a few dollars to state and corporate gifts that are quite larger," Hanzlick said. "Almost 20 percent of all faculty and staff made a gift last year, and we already have about 590 this year after the last two events."
The first Torchbearer donation event for the 2008-09 school year was Donut Day on Oct. 16, which saw contributions from almost 230 Torchbearers.
An institution-wide event sponsored by the Torchbearer Campaign to promote philanthropy toward the school, volunteers accepted donations to UMKC departments and programs at various locations on the Volker and Hospital Hill campuses.
Gifts of five dollars or more were rewarded with Torchbearer lapel pins and the distinguished title of an official "UMKC Torchbearer."
David Hanzlick, director of Development for the UMKC Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and National Donor Research, explained the purpose of annual Torchbearer events like this one.
"It was started [in 2002] as a way of providing an opportunity for faculty and staff to make gifts to their area of choice," Hanzlick said. "So it is very much a donor-directed gift, one that goes to the donor's interests."
The donations were designated for a broad range of academic units, campus organizations, alumni associations, research programs and scholarship endowments.
But the special focus this year was the upcoming renovation and expansion of the Miller Nichols Library. Philanthropists were encouraged to express their school pride by giving directly to the $70 million project, which will be one of UMKC's largest and most expensive in the next few years.
Popular recipients also included the School of Dentistry, KCUR FM radio and the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.
"The goal for this year is gifts from about 725 individuals or organizations … anything from just a few dollars to state and corporate gifts that are quite larger," Hanzlick said. "Almost 20 percent of all faculty and staff made a gift last year, and we already have about 590 this year after the last two events."
The first Torchbearer donation event for the 2008-09 school year was Donut Day on Oct. 16, which saw contributions from almost 230 Torchbearers.
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