Keeping the Competitive Edge

By Corey Jenkins Schaut, MPA ’07

The 2006 March Madness has perpetuated an ongoing Mason madness, especially among alumni supporters of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

In the nearly two years since the men’s basketball team made its exhilarating run to the NCAA Final Four, private support for athletics jumped from nearly $382,000 in fiscal year 2005 to more than $823,000 during fiscal year 2007, which ended June 30.

With increased national visibility, the university is seizing the opportunity to increase scholarship offerings for student-athletes. With more than 500 student-athletes competing on 22 different teams, private support is vital to ensure that Mason continues to attract and retain world-class athletes who can excel on the field and in the classroom. Among Mason’s points of pride, the men’s and women’s swim teams and the men’s cross-country team earned all-academic team status last year from their respective coaching associations.

Supporting Students’ Success
Donors to the Patriot Club, founded in 1975, are key to achieving the university’s goal of building a strong athletic scholarship portfolio. Membership starts at $25, with benefits increasing by giving level.

In 2006, the Patriot Club initiated the Green Coat Society, comprising donors who contribute a minimum of $5,000 annually for at least three years. By the end of fiscal year 2007, the society had almost 50 members. Among the benefits Green Coat Society members receive are a distinctive Mason jacket, priority seating options for men’s basketball, and access to other Patriot Center events.

This new society and the Patriot Club’s other giving levels are vehicles to secure a strong future for the athletics program and, particularly, for the student-athletes who choose to join a Mason team.

Ensuring Winning Teams
For Mason’s student-athletes, endowed scholarships guarantee educational funds for current and future generations. These endowments are invested in perpetuity, with a current payout rate of 4 percent. Funds are awarded to student-athletes each year, with any excess earnings reinvested in the endowment as a hedge against inflation. The endowment raised by Patriot Club efforts now exceeds $950,000.

Donors who wish to establish a named scholarship may do so for a minimum $25,000 gift, payable over five years. Supporters can also create endowed scholarships through planned giving, such as charitable remainder trusts, life insurance, and bequests. The university begins to award the money once the endowment is fully funded to cover the necessary educational costs for students. Expenses, such as tuition, room, board, books, and fees, add up to more than $25,000 annually for an out-of-state student.

The Patriot Club sponsors three popular events each year that raise money for athletic scholarships. These events—the Alumni-Athlete Golf Outing, the Patriot Club Golf Outing, and the Aimee Willard Memorial 5K Run/Walk—have become annual traditions for many Patriot supporters, particularly alumni.

Showing Patriot Pride
Tom O’Connor, assistant vice president and athletics director, hopes that Mason athletics’ place in the national spotlight will translate into more financial support from Patriot fans for the student-athletes who have made it possible.

“With all this attention, we have the opportunity and the potential to make significant advances in our athletics program,” he said. “To do that, we need to grow our scholarships. It’s the best way for us to continue to attract the best talent to Mason and keep the competitive edge.”

For more information on supporting Mason Athletics, visit GoMason.com and click on “Patriot Club” or call 703-993-3215.