By David Hutchens, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations
Crossing
the Goal line
UPIKE exceeds fundraising goal for college of optometry. While not a stopping point, it is certainly an exciting milestone.
U
PIKE has a rich history, a bright future and plenty of challenges to keep those of us privileged to work here busy.
New to the UPIKE team, having started in December of 2015, I want to briefly introduce myself, share with you some recent encouraging news, and signal how eager those of us on UPIKE’s advancement team are to work with everyone in service to UPIKE’s valuable mission. The Health Professions Education Building currently under construction will soon house the new Kentucky College of Optometry. My first task upon arrival to campus was to lead fundraising to help complete this project to give our students a world class building and equipment.
“Like many in this region, my own grandfather and great grandfather were coal miners,” said David Hutchens.
In April, the advancement team received news of a $1 million gift to help complete the Kentucky College of Optometry and the Health Professions Education Building. This gift was the largest private foundation gift in the school’s history. July 2016 brought more good news for UPIKE. We were awarded a $2.6 million grant to improve and expand health care services through student scholarships.
“As the region’s economic base continues to evolve, UPIKE has a critical role to play. If all of us chip in, we can continue to move mountains.”
While excitement about the $1 million and $2.6 million grants was still in the air, August brought additional joyous news. On August 24, UPIKE was awarded a $7.5 million POWER grant to support our Kentucky College of Optometry. Any campus in America would celebrate gifts totaling $11.1 million. To have achieved these victories within eight months is tremendous for our students and for the university. These significant gifts, along with the key support of others, are evidence that there is momentum behind UPIKE’s mission, vision and plans. This is exactly what I was hoping for when President Webb appointed me as the vice president for advancement and
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