Colorado State University Athletics
Stalwart Rams Relief Campaign Raises More than $2 Million
4/22/2021 12:00:00 PM | General, Ram Club, RamWire, Stalwart Rams Relief
Alumni contributions came in large numbers
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – In a time of need worldwide, Colorado State supporters – especially alumni of the university – came forward to help the athletic department bridge the gap between the pandemic and what lies ahead.
The five-month Stalwart Rams Relief Campaign raised more than $2 million to support numerous teams and programs, with more than 1,000 donors lending a helping hand. A major portion of the total came from the $1 million gift from Weston and Marlee Richburg through a charitable trust, sending annual aid to both the football and volleyball programs for which they were All-Mountain West performers. Their contribution, announced last week, was the first seven-figure gift to Colorado State University from a donor younger than the age of 30.
"We want to thank our wonderful Ram Club donors, former student-athletes, alumni, and fans for making the Stalwart Rams Relief Campaign such a success," said David Crum, the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development. "Rams fans are truly Stalwart in all they do and stepped up in a time where private philanthropic dollars are needed more than ever as a result of this pandemic we have experienced this past year. Thank you for your continued support of our Rams student-athletes.
"We also want to thank all of our athletics and campus partners for their amazing collaboration during the campaign. Without the help of Rams Creative, Rams Communications & Media, RamVision, the CSU Alumni Association, and others, we would not have been able to engage so many of our great Rams fans and run such a successful campaign."
Alumni accounted for 45 percent of the donor total, with 15 percent being former student-athletes. Supporters provided aid across the board, making contributions to each of the 16 varsity sports' individual discretionary funds, as well as benefiting the Athletic Scholarship Fund, the Together Initiative and the Canvas Stadium Fund. The largest number of donors targeted the track and field discretionary fund.
The CSU Athletic Department lost $18 million in revenues this past school calendar, leading to budget cuts and alternate ways to cover costs and operations, as well as working with the systems office and bond holders. Director of Athletics Joe Parker applauds the fan base for helping the project double the goal for fundraising it originally set at its inception.
He's also encouraged by what he's seeing with vaccines available and what they will mean for the upcoming school year, most notably fans returning to campus to cheer on the Rams. Because of the generosity of the donors, Parker knows the outlook is much brighter than it originally appeared at the outset of the pandemic.
"To double our goal feels really good. It's a wonderful response, now that we get a sense we're turning the corner and inviting people back to our venues for the upcoming academic year and normalizing operations on the athletic campus for the summer," Parker said. "The Stalwart Rams Relief Campaign will help us meet our plan for the next fiscal year, and it's nice to know we have some additional flexibility."
The five-month Stalwart Rams Relief Campaign raised more than $2 million to support numerous teams and programs, with more than 1,000 donors lending a helping hand. A major portion of the total came from the $1 million gift from Weston and Marlee Richburg through a charitable trust, sending annual aid to both the football and volleyball programs for which they were All-Mountain West performers. Their contribution, announced last week, was the first seven-figure gift to Colorado State University from a donor younger than the age of 30.
"We want to thank our wonderful Ram Club donors, former student-athletes, alumni, and fans for making the Stalwart Rams Relief Campaign such a success," said David Crum, the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development. "Rams fans are truly Stalwart in all they do and stepped up in a time where private philanthropic dollars are needed more than ever as a result of this pandemic we have experienced this past year. Thank you for your continued support of our Rams student-athletes.
"We also want to thank all of our athletics and campus partners for their amazing collaboration during the campaign. Without the help of Rams Creative, Rams Communications & Media, RamVision, the CSU Alumni Association, and others, we would not have been able to engage so many of our great Rams fans and run such a successful campaign."
Alumni accounted for 45 percent of the donor total, with 15 percent being former student-athletes. Supporters provided aid across the board, making contributions to each of the 16 varsity sports' individual discretionary funds, as well as benefiting the Athletic Scholarship Fund, the Together Initiative and the Canvas Stadium Fund. The largest number of donors targeted the track and field discretionary fund.
The CSU Athletic Department lost $18 million in revenues this past school calendar, leading to budget cuts and alternate ways to cover costs and operations, as well as working with the systems office and bond holders. Director of Athletics Joe Parker applauds the fan base for helping the project double the goal for fundraising it originally set at its inception.
He's also encouraged by what he's seeing with vaccines available and what they will mean for the upcoming school year, most notably fans returning to campus to cheer on the Rams. Because of the generosity of the donors, Parker knows the outlook is much brighter than it originally appeared at the outset of the pandemic.
"To double our goal feels really good. It's a wonderful response, now that we get a sense we're turning the corner and inviting people back to our venues for the upcoming academic year and normalizing operations on the athletic campus for the summer," Parker said. "The Stalwart Rams Relief Campaign will help us meet our plan for the next fiscal year, and it's nice to know we have some additional flexibility."
- CSURams.com -
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