Donor Impact Piece

A MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT

Reflecting on Mount Union’s last academic and fiscal year, I am filled with immense gratitude and an overwhelming sense of pride. In celebration of your thoughtful generosity, I am thrilled to present our 2022-2023 Donor Impact Report.

This report is a testament to the transformative power of your incredible support. As you will see in the following pages, your commitment enables us to address urgent needs, to make a lasting difference in our students’ lives, and to make positive change throughout the Mount Union community.

Thank you for believing in Mount Union and our students. Your dedication continues to propel us forward as we work to fulfill our mission of preparing students for fulfilling lives, meaningful work, and responsible citizenship. Your loyal partnership is nothing short of extraordinary and we are humbled by your kindness.

Gratefully,

Logan Aguiniga Vice President for University Advancement

2,100 TOTAL ENROLLMENT

120+ ACADEMIC RANKINGS

A UNIVERSITY THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

96% GRADUATE SUCCESS RATE

99% OF STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID

252 OAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

The University of Mount Union, a private midwestern institution founded in 1846, offers a rigorous and relevant academic program that is grounded in the liberal arts tradition. Mount Union’s more than 2,100 students can select from 44 broad-based and career-specific undergraduate majors, including recent additions in engineering, nursing, and data science. In addition, eight graduate programs are offered in fields such as physician assistant studies, physical therapy, education, and business, with additions in nursing and occupational therapy slated to begin in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Known for its academic excellence and personal approach, the institution boasts a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and a curriculum delivered by dedicated faculty members, 91% of whom hold terminal degrees in their fields.

Over the past two decades, Mount Union has invested more than $200 million in the construction and renovation of modern facilities, including a natural sciences building, recreation center, apartment-style housing, a health and medical sciences facility, a performing arts center, a business and engineering building, a football coaching center, and an esports and golf facility. Primarily residential in nature, Mount Union’s picturesque 123-acre campus is located in Alliance, OH (population 23,000), within 80 miles of both Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The 162-acre Huston-Brumbaugh Nature Center is located six miles away. The University’s endowment is in excess of $166 million.

The University strives to make its exceptional educational experience accessible to students of all financial backgrounds. Its increasingly-diverse campus community benefits from a student-centered approach, 25 intercollegiate athletic teams in addition to intramural and recreational opportunities, and an array of activities for cultural, civic, and social development. Students experience outstanding opportunities for success after graduation, both in the workforce and in graduate study.

THANK YOU FOR SHAKESPEARE

“I have always depended on the kindness of strangers,” says Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams’ classic drama A Streetcar Named Desire. With apologies to Mr. Williams, however, we like to say that Shakespeare at the Castle has always been dependent on the kindness of friends.

In 2013, a group representing the University of Mount Union, the Alliance City Schools, local businesses, and the mayor’s office gathered to answer a question: “Would Alliance support a professional theatre company each summer?” The answer was a resounding “yes,” and Shakespeare at the Castle was born. Now, more than 10 years later, Shakespeare at the Castle has become a vital part of the University with hundreds gathering each summer at the iconic Glamorgan Castle to witness the old stories, told in a meaningful and timeless way. Front and center at Shakespeare at the Castle are Mount Union’s theatre students, who play major roles, both onstage and backstage, alongside working professionals.

The mission of Shakespeare at the Castle is to bring quality professional theatre to the greater Alliance area and

beyond. To accomplish this goal each year, we know that the productions must feel accessible, the performances must be high quality, and the ticket prices must be affordable. But with rising costs of materials and personnel, how do we keep the ticket prices low enough so that all our neighbors can attend? Our generous donors have stepped forward to affirm that cultural events like this one are important and vital to the well-being of our University and community. Year after year, they have generously supported our mission by helping to offset the rising costs of live theatre productions.

In the 2022-2023 fiscal year, our generous donors pledged another $50,000 to ensure Shakespeare at the Castle lives on another 10 years.

Thanks to our donors, Shakespeare at the Castle will continue to provide this unique experience to our community, while providing our theatre students with a truly amazing opportunity.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES

Thanks to your support of M Club and our athletics teams, year after year, our student-athletes have the opportunity to pursue championship experiences, travel with their teammates, and utilize state-of-the-art athletic facilities and equipment. Mount Union athletics is consistently recognized as one of the top Division III programs in the country. Your generosity has helped our student-athletes excel both on and off the court and realize the athletic milestones mentioned below.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

• NCAA National Championship Runner-Up (best finish in program history)

• Junior Christian Parker First Team All-American for two major organizations (first ever in program history to have multiple First Team All-American honors in the same season)

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

• Both teams qualified for the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2014

FOOTBALL

• NCAA Championship Runner-Up

• All-American: senior Braxton Plunk, senior Wayne Ruby Jr., senior Carson Barrett, sophomore Rossy Moore, senior Duke Hill, senior Derrick Bradley, and senior DeAndre Parker

• Gagliardi Trophy Finalist: senior Braxton Plunk

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

• NCAA Tournament Qualifier and advanced to the second round

• OAC Regular Season Champions

SOFTBALL

• NCAA Regional Final Runner-Up (farthest in school history)

• First time winning the OAC Regular Season and OAC Tournament Championship in the same season

MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

• NCAA Outdoor Champions: 4x400-meter relay of senior Matt McBride, senior Jared Storm, senior Tyler Gill, and graduate student Justin Knoch (time was a Division III National record)

WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

• Kenadee Wayt three-time National Champion (Indoor - 200; Outdoor - 400 and 200); first member of the women’s track and field team to win multiple individual events in the same NCAA Championship in school history

• NCAA Indoor Championship team fifth-place finish (best in program history)

• Wayt named the U.S. Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III National Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, USTFCCCA Division III Women’s Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year, NCAA Elite 90 Outdoor Track and Field winner, and 202223 Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for Division III as selected by the College Sports Communicators

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

• MCVL Regular Season Co-Champions

• All-American: Cameron Ternent (first ever in program history)

$166 MILLION

TOTAL ENDOWMENT AS OF JUNE 30, 2023

INVESTING IN OUR MISSION

4.5% SPENDING POLICY CURRENTLY THE TRUSTEE-APPROVED SPENDING FORMULA CALLS FOR AN ANNUAL DISTRIBUTION OF 4.5% OF THE PREVIOUS 12-QUARTER ROLLING MARKET VALUE AVERAGE OF THE ENDOWMENT

$6.8 MILLION DISTRIBUTED FROM THE ENDOWMENT TO SUPPORT CAMPUS PRIORITIES IN 2022-2023

As the world continues to face social and economic challenges, strategies for longterm financial sustainability are more important than ever. Our strategy is to continue to grow and strengthen the university’s endowment.

We are pleased to report that, thanks to the generosity of our donors and the success of our investment strategies, the value of the University of Mount Union’s endowment is currently $166,205,000.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMPASSION

The Student Emergency Fund launched in March 2020 as a response to the financial hardships Mount Union students were facing resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the fund serves as a crucial resource for Purple Raiders in dire financial need. Whether a student has exhausted all financial aid and are still falling short on their tuition bill, or something unexpected like a family illness changes their circumstances, the Student Emergency Fund is there to help students continue their education.

In the 2022-2023 fiscal year, 57 students received a total of $114,872 from the Student Emergency Fund. Thanks to your generous contributions to the Student Emergency Fund, we have been able to provide vital assistance to students facing unforeseen and challenging situations. Your support has helped ease financial burdens, ensuring our students can continue their education with less worry about their immediate needs. Your thoughtfulness has also offered hope, encouragement, and a sense of community.

The Student Emergency Fund made it possible for me to attend Mount Union. I am the first in my family to go to college and want to be the first to graduate. Thank you for helping me get closer to fulfilling my dream. I appreciate you all.

JERRY COOPER ’26

Even now, I understand that my experience at Mount Union will shape practically every aspect of my life. My unique experience, and those of every one of my fellow satudents, is made possible because of annual gifts to the Mount Union Fund by donors who believe that students like me are a part of something greater. Thank you for allowing me and my peers to pursue ALL of our dreams!

On behalf of all the students who are blessed to call Mount Union our home, I would like to thank you for your generosity. As donors, you play an important role ina our success. We recognize that nothing comes for free and, thus, are very thankful for your charitable donations. You inspire us to work hard and accomplish great things.

SALLY TAUSCH ’25

$1.57 MILLION CONTRIBUTED TO THE MOUNT UNION FUND IN 2022-2023

2,758 DONORS TO THE MOUNT UNION FUND IN 2022-2023

THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE

$63 THOUSAND CONTRIBUTED DURING THE 2022 VIRTUAL STADIUM SELL OUT

583 DONORS TO THE 2022 VIRTUAL STADIUM SELL OUT

Our sixth annual Raiders Give took place on April 13, 2023. If you’re not familiar, Raiders Give is an annual day for the Purple Raider nation—alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, and friends—to come together and support the University. This year, 1,014 donors gave $360,000!

THANK YOU FOR A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE

Thanks to your generosity and the financial support of the Rachel Boyce Lang International Concert Tour Fund, the Concert Choir undertook a 13-day European tour in May, singing seven outstanding performances and receiving a warm and enthusiastic reception throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

“What a joy to perform in some of Europe’s most historically important, visually captivating, acoustically exhilarating, and spiritually inspiring churches,” said Dr. Grant W. Cook III, director of choral activities. “Indeed, singing day after day in spaces adorned with crystalline and reverberant acoustics was pure magic. In sum, the musical experience was transformative,

and its impact immeasurable. Beyond the performances was a wonderful array of educational excursions to cathedrals, palaces, museums, and monuments; free time for shopping and sampling the local cuisine; and myriad opportunities to drink in the splendor of the natural landscape. In the words of the Scottish writer Alastair McIntosh, the Concert Choir’s journey was ‘a walk through space and time, across a physical landscape and into a spiritual one.’”

Again, many thanks for your generous support of the Rachel Boyce Lang International Concert Tour Fund and for providing a life-changing experience for our students – one they will not soon forget!

YOU ARE IN GOOD COMPANY

The University of Mount Union appreciates the generosity of our loyal supporters. Our four giving societies – Diamond Circle, 1846 Society, Heritage Society, and Forever Mount Society – were created to recognize outstanding generosity. Our societies celebrate four types of giving.

DIAMOND CIRCLE

This leadership giving society recognizes the loyalty of Mount Union’s most generous benefactors who have made lifetime gifts totaling $1 million or more.

1846 SOCIETY

The 1846 Society recognizes those donors who make an annual investment of $1,250 or more to the Mount Union Fund. In 2022-2023, members of the 1846 Society contributed a total of $975,418 to the University.

HERITAGE SOCIETY

The Heritage Society recognizes those who have expressed their commitment to the future of Mount Union through planned gifts and estate commitments. Planned gifts include bequests, charitable trusts, life insurance, and charitable gift annuities.

FOREVER MOUNT SOCIETY

The Forever Mount Society recognizes committed donors who have made gifts to the University for 25 years or more.

37 MEMBERS OF THE DIAMOND CIRCLE (LIVING AND DECEASED)

331 MEMBERS OF THE 1846 SOCIETY

616 MEMBERS OF THE HERITAGE SOCIETY (LIVING AND DECEASED)

1,840 MEMBERS OF THE FOREVER MOUNT SOCIETY (LIVING AND DECEASED)

The University of Mount Union will endure because of its unique mission – to prepare students for fulfilling lives, meaningful work, and responsible citizenship. Donors strengthen that mission by helping us shape generations of leaders and build a stronger University that is home to world-class learning, a student-centered environment, exceptional athletic teams, and a distinguished faculty. Thank you for investing in Mount Union and empowering our critical mission.

Gregory L. King ’89 President