BETTER TOGETHER 2016-2017 Annual Report Tennessee State University Foundation 2016-2017 BETTER Annual Report 4 By the Numbers 6 From the Board Chair 7 From the President 8 Alumni: TOGETHER GIving Where it all Begins 10 Corporations: Generosity is Good Business Just as it takes professors, peers, family, 12 Foundations & Organizations: Missions Aligned and community to shape a student’s path, 14 Faculty, Staff and Friends: A Little Help from our Family & Friends the TSU Foundation relies on a mix of support to serve the University today and in the future. 16 Scholarship Awards 20 Legacy Society Every segment of the donor population serves 21 Giving Societies a special purpose, and every donor plays a 28 Honor Roll of Donors unique role in the great things we achieve. 42 Memorial Gifts 45 Financial Overview 47 Ways to Give We are better together. BY THE NUMBERS 2016-2017 Fundraising Highlights Overall Giving AlumniAlumni GivingGiving $3,569,327.78 8,523 $1,608,150.93 TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS GIFTS RECEIVED TOTAL ALUMNI GIVING $419 3,542 $271 2,384 AVERAGE GIFT SIZE DONORS AVERAGE GIFT SIZE ALUMNI DONORS $1,008 652 $675 506 AVERAGE ANNUAL CONSECUTIVE DONORS: AVERAGE ANNUAL CONSECUTIVE DONORS: CONTRIBUTION PER DONOR FIVE YEARS OR MORE CONTRIBUTION PER DONOR FIVE YEARS OR MORE $2 to $300,000 1,160 $2 to $300,000 509 GIFT RANGE NEW DONORS GIFT RANGE NEW DONORS 5 $332,500 NEW PLANNED GIFT TOTAL PLANNED GIFT COMMITMENTS COMMITMENTS DR. GLENDA GLOVER ‘74 PRESIDENT TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY Your gifts create pathways of It’s powerful to see how the opportunity for TSU, and those parts work together to create the the University serves. As a result whole at TSU — faculty teach, staff of your philanthropy, we can support, students learn. As each better leverage access to other contributes, outcomes are achieved. significant investments to benefit the This process of transformative TSU value proposition. education at TSU is made possible through the unconditional support of committed donors like you. Thank you for your generosity! DWAYNE TUCKER ‘80 CHAIRMAN TSU FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS BETTER TOGETHER 6 Better Together • TSU Foundation Report 2016-2017 Better Together • TSU Foundation Report 2016-2017 7 Giving Where it all Begins Alumni giving is more than a monthly or annual check; it’s a connection that deepens over time. Continuing a Leveraging a Powerful Network Personal Mission TSU alumna Laura Teasley- Farwell (class of 1958) was the first in her family to graduate high school and attend college; her uncle Simon Teasley helped with tuition by working in one of TSU’s boiler rooms. Sixty years later, Teasley-Farwell donated more than $300,000 to establish the Teasley Family Endowment Fund, providing scholarships for students in significant financial need. The gift made Teasley- Farwell a member of the Lifetime Society Century Club, recognizing donors who have given more than $100,000 to TSU. She is one of only ten alumni in a society of nineteen donors. Sarah Chatman, Genevieve Brinkley-Johnson, Gwendolyn Prater, Felecia Webb Mackey and Delphine Claggion. “I give because I’m Delphine Claggion and Gwen With volunteer help from “We should use our connections in a position to do it,” Prater met at TSU in the 1970s Genevieve Brinkley-Johnson, as Alpha Chi sisters, and have Felecia Webb-Mackey and Sarah Teasley-Farwell says. remained close through the years Chatman, the fundraising campaign to make a difference for the next “It was hard for us. If despite the 700 miles between quickly gained traction through emails I can make it easier them. They credit their AX chapter and social media; friendly competition generation of students.” for their enduring friendship. ignited participation between pledge on someone, then lines. The effort raised more than “For years, we watched our $121,000 to establish the Absolutely Delphine Claggion, Absolutely AX I’m doing what I’m affiliated fraternities raise AX Endowed Scholarship fund, the supposed to do.” hundreds of thousands of dollars first of its kind at TSU to be started for scholarships,” says Prater. “One by a sorority-related affinity group. day we looked at each other and Teasley-Farwall lives in Los Angeles said, ‘Why not us?’ We’re a strong “We didn’t just ask our sisters for and remains very active in the Far network of women who choose to money,” Claggion says. “We educated West Regional Los Angeles chapter stay involved with the University and informed them. We gave them of the Tennessee State University and each other. We should use our reasons to give now and on a regular National Alumni Association and connections to make a difference.” basis, and hopefully they will pass that her beloved Zeta Phi Beta sorority. passion on outside of our AX family.” ALUMNI Better Together • TSU Foundation Report 2016-2017 9 Generosity is Good Business Sometimes, corporate FedEx Grows Tomorrow’s Talent giving starts with personal With new initiatives and innovative programs, TSU is creating exciting connection; other times, support opportunities that look it’s all about a working more like strategic partnerships partnership for the future. than traditional gifts. Through the Blue Star Scholars Honoring a Mentor Employment Pathways Program, Before serving as the CEO Of longtime corporate supporter General Motors Canada, TSU FedEx is helping re-imagine alumnus Kevin Williams mentored Leadership TSU, a robust effort 20 minority-owned suppliers to prepare our students to thrive through the company’s Minority and lead in the global workforce. Business Development Program. Through workshops, guest Out of that group of young speakers, and a new Innovation companies, Global Automotive Lab, students will engage with Alliance (GAA) grew to become local business executives to gain a multi-billion dollar industry professional development, critical powerhouse; GAA’s owner, Dr. thinking skills, and practical William Pickard, has attributed experience as they prepare for his business success to Williams’ success after graduation. mentorship. “Corporate investment in our As a business coach, Kevin Williams students’ future is in an investment strongly encouraged corporate in the donor’s future, too,” says support for HBCUs and introduced Tiffany Taylor, TSU’s Director of Pickard to TSU. “HBCUs serve an Compliance and Blue Star Scholar important purpose,” says Williams. Coordinator. “Developing stronger “They empower underrepresented graduates helps to grow and people to compete and thrive, just diversify the talent pipeline, as like what we did at GM.” many TSU grads go on to work for FedEx in Memphis and beyond.” In 2017, Pickard and Sylvester Hester, CEO of TYJ, llc (a GAA FedEx has supported TSU’s students subsidiary), surprised Williams with for more than a decade through the a $35,000 endowed scholarship FedEx Endowed Scholarship. Nine “Corporate investment in our in his honor at TSU. Funds from students have received more than the Kevin Williams/Automotive $15,000 in scholarship support Alliance Endowed Scholarship will over the last decade. Endowment students’ future is an investment in be made available to students in earnings will serve students for the 2019-20 school year. many years to come. the company’s future, too.” Despite his many professional accomplishments, Williams is most Tiffany Taylor, Director of Compliance, TSU proud of “unlocking the secret” of a college degree. He was the first person in his family to go to college; today, more than 30 family members have followed in his footsteps. “TSU has not only changed my life,” he says, “but improved the lives of generations who will come after me.” Williams and his wife also established CORPORATIONS the Kevin and Arlene Williams Scholarship in 2014, through the Kevin Williams TSU Foundation. Better Together • TSU Foundation Report 2016-2017 11 Missions Aligned We’re proud to be a partner and a trusted FOUNDATIONS AND steward for organizations dedicated to promoting community growth, investing in the future workforce, and preserving ORGANIZATIONS historic institutions. Twenty Years with the Titans “TSU has been a beacon of light “Our mission is to make a for so many people in Memphis” The partnership began when the says Doug Jones, Chair of the difference in the lives of the Houston Oilers moved to Nashville Foundation’s Board of Directors. in 1998 to become the Tennessee “So many of us on the board got Titans and TSU helped seal the a helping hand along the way, community in which we live deal by agreeing to share the new and if we can reach back and help downtown stadium. Twenty years someone who wants to go further later, the partnership extends but doesn’t have the means, we and serve, and supporting beyond the playing field. should. Chances are, they’ll come “TSU is an anchor in our back to Memphis and contribute the students at TSU is a community,” says Tina Tuggle, to our economy, and will inspire Community Relations Director others to do the same.” Titans Foundation natural fit.” for the . “Our Neighbors Helping mission is to make a difference in the lives of the community in which Neighbors Tina Tuggle, Community Relations Director, we live and serve, and supporting Just down the street from TSU’s Tennessee Titans Foundation the students at TSU is a natural fit.” main campus, St. James Missionary Baptist Church has committed a “The Titans’ founding owner, percentage of its annual budget Mr. Bud Adams, truly wanted to to the TSU Foundation (as well as provide real value for the students other HBCUs) for more than 30 at TSU,” says Barbara Murrell, years. “We want a more educated Director of Community Relations black community,” says Dr. James at TSU. The Titans Foundation Brooks, SJMBC Pastor. “It’s not makes major gifts to the endowed enough to push the young people scholarship that Mr.