The generosity of more than 14,000 Butler University alumni and friends made fiscal year 2017 one of the University’s best fundraising years on record—generating $35.6 million to enrich academic programming and student life at Butler.

Gifts and commitments included contributions from the estate of Winstan R. “Bud” Sellick ’47 and his wife, Jacqueline (Blomberg) ’44, which will be shared among Butler Athletics, the Lacy School of Business, and general University support; $5 million from alumnus Frank Levinson ’75 for expansion and renovation of the University’s science facilities; and $5 million from Old National Bank to establish the Old National Bank Center for Closely Held Business.

“We are deeply grateful to our alumni and friends for supporting Butler’s mission and vision,” Butler President James M. Danko said. “The generosity of our donors has a direct impact on the quality of the student experience at Butler. It creates new opportunities for each student’s intellectual and personal growth. It helps finance upgrades to academic, research, performance, and athletic spaces. It provides scholarships. Put simply, donor support changes lives and helps secure our University’s future.”

Highlights of the contributions to Butler during fiscal year 2017 included:

• $9.9 million in new bequests.
• $2 million for new endowed chairs.
• $4.8 million in new gifts and commitments for the Lacy School of Business building project.
• $2 million in capital commitments for Butler Athletics.
• A 16 percent increase in dollars raised through The Butler Fund, which supports student scholarships and key University priorities.

 

In addition, Butler University’s second annual Day of Giving in February surpassed expectations, with faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, and friends making 894 gifts totaling more than $140,000. Through Day of Giving participation, the University was also able to raise an additional $103,000 in matching challenge gifts.

“Our alumni continue to show their appreciation for the opportunities that Butler University has provided to them, and our friends are demonstrating their clear support for all that Butler does in the community,” said Jaci Thiede, Vice President for University Advancement. “They know that every gift is appreciated and put to the best possible use.”

Butler’s enormously successful fundraising year comes following a record-setting fiscal year 2016, when the University received nearly $45.4 million in gifts and commitments. This included the largest single commitment from an individual or family in the University’s history, $25 million, which was donated by Andre B. and Julia Lacy to name the Lacy School of Business.

 

Media contact:
Marc Allan
mallan@butler.edu
317-940-9822