The University of Houston-Victoria has reached a new milestone in employee giving for the third year in a row after more than half of the university’s faculty and staff donated to the university during the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
From Sept. 1, 2018, to Aug. 31, a record-breaking 215 employees gave to the university’s One For All, All For One employee giving campaign, donating more than $51,000. Their donations benefited 61 departments and initiatives, including scholarships, athletics and campus programs.
“The employee giving campaign is a great opportunity for our faculty and staff to show their support for different areas of the university,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “Seeing this level of commitment and personal investment in the work and future of UHV is a good sign for our university and our community. I cannot thank these donors enough for their hard work and support.”
The campaign began in 2006 as a way to encourage employees to give back to UHV programs and initiatives. Through the campaign, donors can designate what their contributions will benefit. Options include scholarships, specific departments, lecture series or initiatives such as the student food pantry or relief funds to assist students experiencing hardship. The donations are especially impactful because the university offers a dollar-for-dollar match for the majority of donations, said Kira Mudd, UHV director of alumni relations and annual giving, and campaign coordinator.
In addition to the record-breaking number of participants, the university also broke another record. Thirty-four donors were part of the President’s Circle. These employees donated at least 1 percent of their gross annual pay to the university through the campaign.
Chanel Hicks, a health educator for the UHV Counseling Center, was part of the President’s Circle for the first time during the 2018-2019 campaign. She chose to participate because UHV has given her so much by supporting her as she earned her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and now through professional development efforts as she tries to be a better student affairs professional, she said. She’s also seen firsthand how UHV has helped students and changed their lives.
“There have been so many times when students come to the Counseling Center and share stories about their personal difficulties,” Hicks said. “Sometimes they say they feel like they don’t belong in college, but through UHV’s faculty and staff support, they feel accepted and welcome here. I chose to give and will continue to support this worthy cause.”
The three funds that received the most donations from UHV employees during the 2019 fiscal year were the JP’s Market student food pantry, the General Scholarship Fund and the School of Business Administration Scholarship Fund.
“It is so exciting to see the ongoing growth in UHV’s employee giving levels,” Mudd said. “The university offers many options so that every donor has the opportunity to support an area that is meaningful to them. As our university grows, we hope our faculty and staff will continue to invest in our university’s future and make a positive impact in students’ lives.”
On Sept. 11, the university launched the 2019-2020 One For All, All For One campaign. All donations, including employee gifts, count toward the Here, We Go fundraising campaign, which runs through August.