HonorRoll
Thank You for a Record Year Dear Alumni and Friends: It is with great pleasure and continuing pride in your generosity that we report you made the 2008-09 Engineering Annual Fund (EAF) the most successful in our history—for the second year in a row. In a very difficult year for the U.S. economy, and one in which many annual funds across the country declined, the College’s alumni and friends stepped forward to partner with Dean Kenneth Lutchen in his vision for the future of engineering at BU (www.bu.edu/eng/about/vision). For your continuing willingness to make the College one of your philanthropic priorities, you have the very heartfelt thanks of the dean, faculty, staff and especially the students, who are the primary beneficiaries of your gifts. In the year that closed June 30, 2009, the Engineering Annual Fund received: • A record $269,761 in contributions. This amount topped last year’s record by more than $84,358, a robust 45 percent increase. • Commitments from 1,014 individual alumni, friends and institutions—a record—an increase of more than 19 percent above last year and the first time we have surpassed 1,000 donors. • A record number of 82 leadership gifts ($1,000 or more), up 32 percent from last year. One of those gifts was for $50,000, a record amount for the EAF, and eight were between $5,000 and $24,999. • One hundred and sixty-two gifts from individuals who had never given to the ENG Annual Fund before in response to a creative challenge offered by long-time, renowned faculty member Professor Ted de Winter. These donors, matched dollar-for-dollar up to $100 by Professor de Winter, exhausted all of his $10,000 in matching funds. • More than 200 donors—almost 20 percent of you—have made gifts for five consecutive years, and your loyalty is very much appreciated and noted in the report. Three hundred and nineteen of you (almost a third of all donors) have given for three consecutive years. Your continuing support is gratifying. The Fund supports student extracurricular and pre-professional activities, and new curricular and faculty support initiatives such as: • The STARS and SURF undergraduate research support programs • The Society of Women Engineers • Student chapters of engineering professional societies • Engineers Without Borders and other student organizations • The Clean Energy and Environmental Sustainability Initiative [CEESI] • The Distinguished Faculty Fellows program, initiated this year to honor mid-career faculty who have demonstrated extraordinary contributions in research, teaching, and service The generosity of our 2008–09 contributors has positively impacted: • The quality of life for current engineering students • Helped us honor and retain our very top young faculty teacher-scholars • Created innovative new programs, like CEESI, that will enable the College to participate in the great engineering challenges of the future Jinara Reyes, Amanda Magee and I have enjoyed meeting you at our increasingly well-attended alumni events in Boston and other major alumni centers, and while travelling to visit more of you this year to learn about your experiences at BU and the College. We look forward to meeting more of you this coming year and renewing acquaintances with those of you who have generously shared your stories, your thoughts and ideas, and your suggestions on how we might better meet your expectations and needs. If you are in Boston, please stop by our offices at 44 Cummington Street. For those who made gifts this year, you have our sincerest thanks. For those who were not contributors in 2008–09, you have an opportunity to partner with the dean and join with your classmates and colleagues this year! With sincere appreciation and thanks,
Scott Muirhead, PhD, Director, Development & Alumni Relations Jinara Reyes, Development Officer Amanda Magee, Senior Staff Coordinator 28
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