Iowa

Let’s show that we can beat our Big Ten competitors — by helping today’s UI students become tomorrow’s leaders

Iowa has stepped up to the plate! We have taken an alumni challenge from other Big Ten universities to determine who has the best and most loyal alumni. Alumni participation in raising vital private-gift funds is a major factor in determining national rankings of universities and their programs — and most important, it’s a barometer of school spirit and pride.

This Big Ten GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Challenge will give Iowa grads a chance to show the Big Ten that we care about our alma mater and the students it serves. The school with the highest percentage of alumni donors wins considerable-and delicious-bragging rights among our peer institutions.

Annual contributions are extremely important to the well-being of the UI-and thus to the value of a UI degree. Although the UI is a state-assisted institution, it receives less than one third of its funding from state appropriations and tuition. This makes support from the University’s alumni crucial to the UI’s mission of educating students, conducting research, and serving the state of Iowa and society at large.

Your gifts go directly to the UI college, department, or program that you designate, and provide crucial resources to meet the unit’s areas of greatest need. Such gifts immediately support:

• Scholarships and financial aid, allowing deserving students to continue their studies
• Program enhancement, such as study-abroad programs, visiting lecturer series, or travel for research purposes to conferences and museums
• Research funds to help our faculty — often with the help of students — make important advances in health care, the sciences, and the arts and humanities

These are just a few examples of how your gift can help students excel — UI departments use annual funds every day in many visible and behind-the-scenes ways. You benefited from the support of alumni before you. Please continue that proud Iowa tradition for today’s students! Read some UI students’ stories.

It’s easy to contribute and help us beat our Big Ten challengers:

• You can give online;
• You can respond to an appeal in the mail from the UI areas you have supported in the past;
• You can respond to a Telefund appeal from one of our hardworking student callers; or
• You can call one of our annual giving specialists for more information at (800) 648-6973 or (319) 335-3305, or e-mail [email protected].

On Iowa!