The University of Memphis Annual Giving program strives to build a core constituency of alumni, parents, and friends who will provide ongoing financial support to the University of Memphis. This support enhances educational experiences for our students through scholarships, special programs, research facilities, technology upgrades and more. 

What is 12%?

The University of Memphis needs your help to reach our goal of 12% alumni giving participation by our 100th Anniversary in 2012.

As the U of M improves its alumni participation rate, we can continue to move up in national rankings. Gifts from alumni help to attract high-quality students, recruit outstanding faculty, and improve key programs. Making a gift now to the University of Memphis is more important than ever. 

What is Alumni Participation and why is it important?

- Participation is the percentage of alumni that make an annual financial gift to their alma mater.

- Alumni participation rate is universally regarded as the best way to measure alumni satisfaction with their alma mater and a high alumni participation rate for the U of M carries weight in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges ranking.

- Strong alumni participation is central to our ability to increase financial support from foundations, corporations and other donors like you.

- A gift of $20 is just as important as a gift of $20,000 when it comes to alumni participation.

- Alumni gifts sustain the University of Memphis. Collectively, thousands of individual gifts enable us to provide scholarships, services, programs and facilities for our current students.

You Choose What to Support

In an effort to increase Alumni Participation, the following Challenge Gifts have been issued:

• A College of Arts & Sciences alumnus has issued a Challenge 2 You! Each new gift from College of Arts & Sciences alumni will be matched by the anonymous donor, up to a total gift of $25,000. Take this opportunity to double your gift and increase the College's alumni participation! Read the press release.
• A School of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology (AuSP) graduate, who wishes to remain anonymous, has issued The AuSP Challenge.  For each new and returning donor who makes a gift to one of the School's five funds by June 30, 2010, the donor will give $50, up to a total gift of $5,000! 
• The College of Communication and Fine Arts (CCFA) Advisory Board has issued a challenge to CCFA alumni - Double Up!  Members will DOUBLE each gift which new and long-lapsed alumni provide to the College, up to $5000.

The U of M encourages you to make a gift to wherever you feel most passionate. Your annual gift may be designated to a wide variety of campus programs and initiatives, or you may wish make your gift to the Academic Fund. The Academic Fund is the collection of gifts from alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends that are given to the University of Memphis with no restrictions. Every gift counts toward our participation rate regardless of where you give and regardless of the size of the gift.

Make your gift to the University of Memphis prior to the end of the fiscal year, June 30.  For more information contact Director of Annual Giving, Marianne Minton at mrminton@memphis.edu or 901/678-3955. Please also refer to the Frequently Asked Questions.

For more information about making a year end gift click here.