PHILANTHROPY AND ADVISORY COUNCIL a message from the chair of the

Dear CU PT Program Students, Alumni, Supporters and Friends,

The CU PT Program’s Scholarship and Endowment Board (SEB) was established in 2012 to bolster support for the program. The ten years that have transpired since the inception of the group have seen significant growth in awards and endowments that support the many key initiatives of the program. The charge of the SEB has been to increase student diversity and remove money as an obstacle to students wishing to enroll in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. More than $425,000 was raised in the fiscal year of July 1, 2021June 30, 2022. The largest gift surpassed $300,000 and we are now bestowing more than $275,000 in scholarships each academic year. The current CU PT Endowment now totals $2.3 million and growing.

Throughout 2022 the board continued to work with CU leadership to increase the number of benefactors. We recently launched several new scholarship initiatives. The Franklin and Marilyn Moore Scholarship Fund invests in rural track scholarships. The Barney Ford Endowed Diversity Scholarship honors the late Barney Ford. A former enslaved person from South Carolina, Ford escaped at age seventeen, taught himself how to read and write and achieved great success as a noted caterer and restaurateur in Denver and the Rocky Mountain Region. Philanthropic support allows CU PT to support the next generation of health care leaders. It also enables us to celebrate the legacies of those who persevered against so many insurmountable odds to go on and lead extraordinary lives like Mr. Ford and his family, Dr. and Mrs. Moore.

The breadth and depth of our benefactor pool is important to the stability of funding available for scholarships. There are ongoing efforts to promote growth of the benefactor pool and engagement of donors. The continued growth of benefactors is an ongoing goal of this leadership group. We are also committed to serving the diverse needs of Colorado. In 2022 there have been new and/or increased funding for a number of specific areas. This includes the availability for scholarships for students interested in a variety of outreach and rural programs. One such program is CU RESTORE’s partnership with Aegis Therapies to address and develop new courses of treatment in geriatric physical therapy. These programs have been met with great success and service to students and communities. Benefactors are key to setting the direction funding such programs. There is a strong relationship between the SEB and the PT Alumni Association. In 2022 we saw Tim Loar’s tenure on the board come to an end with his term as president of the CU PT Alumni Association. We thank him for his years of service and dedication to the CU PT Program Scholarship and Endowment Board. Congratulations to David Bruton and Joana Roybal who now lead the PTAA as co-presidents and alumni liaisons to the board. We look forward to continued collaboration and input from the alumni association and its leadership.

As chair of this group, I take pride in the success of the CU PT Program and strong ranking among other physical therapy programs around the country. To continue to attract talented applicants and compete for matriculation of those top applicants we must remove finances as a barrier to entry. The board has been committed to assist the CU PT Program toward its goal of matriculating top-notch applicants. During the last quarter of 2022 the Scholarship and Endowment Board worked with Dr. Michael Harris-Love and CU Advancement leadership to revamp, reengage and revitalize the Board’s structure to be more supportive to the CU PT Program and its director, building on the SEB founders’ vision. To that end, at the January 10, 2023, meeting the board unanimously voted to become the CU Physical Therapy Program Philanthropy and Advisory Council. The scope and purpose of the Board has evolved into the new purpose of the council which is to provide strategic advice to the Director of the CU PT Program on matters such as program priorities, stakeholder engagement, strategic initiatives, and philanthropic partnerships that will benefit the future of the CU Physical Therapy Program for years to come. I look forward to 2023 and the opportunities the new year will bring.

Warm wishes,

Andrew Levy, PT (’77) Chair of the new Philanthropy and Advisory Council