You - Yes, YOU! - Can Make a Difference This Giving Day! Here's How:
Don that purple party hat and grab some confetti – it’s McKendree’s birthday! This
year, we are celebrating our 195th birthday by holding our very first Giving Week, a time in which we remember our roots, celebrate our many accomplishments, and give
back so that future Bearcats may continue to learn and thrive. From Monday, February
20 through Friday, February 24, we will be recognizing McKendree’s historic founding
and celebrating the philanthropic spirit of the loyal Bearcats who have supported
this institution for nearly two centuries. Oh, and eating cake in Ames!
Cake and fun aside, McKendree wouldn’t be standing and thriving today without Bearcat
philanthropy. It is because of generous donors near and far that our beloved university
continues to provide outstanding education to exceptional students. And Bearcats like
you can make a huge difference with even a small donation, too! See how our campus
community’s philanthropic spirit and gifts have shaped the lives of our current students
– and how YOU can make a difference in the future with what you have now.
The Doros Scholarship: Changing Nursing Students’ Lives and Shaping Our Communities
for the Better
Private support and gifts make a massive impact in the lives of our students, in our
communities, and in the world. The Diana Joyce Doros Endowed Scholarship is just one way that a donation to McKendree has shaped Bearcats’ lives for the better.
This $5,000 annual scholarship is given each year to qualified nurses who do not receive
tuition reimbursement from their employers. They are people working in critical access
hospitals, public health departments, schools, parishes, hospices – anywhere that
has a need for an expert in the healthcare field.
Take for instance Katie Meusel, a student in McKendree’s MSN program for Population Health. Currently employed as the clinic manager at Midwest Medical Center in beautiful
Galena, Illinois, Katie’s education was made possible because of this scholarship.
“Furthering my education has always been a dream of mine, but affording it has always
been a question. This scholarship has made my dream possible for me and is turning
that dream into a reality!” she said. “I have loved every class I have taken thus
far and have learned so much along the way.”
As a small-town mom of three children and a nurse of 13 years, Katie has been able
to bring an important service to her community, thanks to this scholarship. “Being
able to study population health is an asset to my community and makes me think outside
the box every day, like every nurse has to do when on the job,” Katie said. “Nursing
has evolved throughout the years to what it is today, and if it weren’t for scholarships
like this, there would be fewer nurses leading the way to pave our future.”
Katie Meusel
Additionally, Jordan Culpepper, a school nurse and student in McKendree’s BSN program, has also had her educational dreams realized thanks to this scholarship. “The Doros Scholarship has made a great impact on my life both personally and financially. It has allowed me to continue my education so that I may use the concepts and skills learned to give back to my community and the patient population I serve,” she said. “It has also lifted a large financial burden off me, allowing me to focus solely on my continued education, which I am so very thankful for. The generosity of the Doros Scholarship is inspiring me personally to continue giving to my community through service. It also inspires me to continue furthering education, in hopes that one day I may be able to give to someone like this scholarship has given to me.”
Jordan Culpepper
So, Where Does My Money Go?
Here’s the great news: YOU get to decide where your donation goes! Got a penchant
for music and visual arts? You can show your love to the McKendree Music Department,
the Theatre Department, or the Hett. Are you a spiritual person? A donation to Bothwell
Chapel would be much appreciated. Want to keep seeing Bearcats do amazing things on
the field? Show how much of a fan you are by giving to Athletics, Athletic Performance,
or a particular sport that you love.
You may also choose to give to the Annual Fund, which makes things on campus even
better for Bearcats. This includes improved student services, continued excellent
academic instruction from caring and knowledgeable professors, student scholarships
and financial aid, and so much more. No matter what you may choose to give, know that
your gift will make a true difference to our students!
Does My Small Contribution Even Matter?
It’s easy to believe that small gifts don’t matter or won’t make a difference, but
they do. After all, the Mississippi River wouldn’t be the mighty river that it is
today without its many smaller tributaries helping it grow and provide necessary resources
for flora and fauna to flourish. You don’t have to dig for hundreds or thousands of
dollars to change another Bearcat’s life. Even if you donated the money you might’ve
spent at your favorite coffee shop, your contribution can join other flows of gifts
and become a lifeblood to important campaigns on campus.
Let us say it again – Every. Dollar. Counts.
How Can I Get Started?
It’s simple. All you need to do is visit www.mckendree.edu/onemckendree to make your donation. And remember, your gift can be anything, even if it’s just
a few dollars! Each gift is very much appreciated and will give Bearcats like you
an even brighter future.
You Really CAN Make a Difference!
Think about it – someone before you gave what they could to give you and your fellow
Bearcats an even more excellent, well-rounded education and a meaningful college experience.
Just about everything you see on campus or inside of the buildings was made possible
because of Bearcats before you, people who champion private school liberal arts, or
even others who wanted to give the generation after them a better chance to live a
more successful life. While many of these were made possible because of larger gifts,
even the smallest contributions toward a better future can make the biggest difference.
You can be this person, too. Your gift, no matter how big or small, can give students
facing financial obstacles the chance to achieve their academic dreams instead of
worrying about finding another job. You can be the person who gives future Bearcats
the opportunity to use their gifts and creativity to tackle and solve some of our
world’s biggest challenges. You – yes, YOU! – could be the reason why a student-athlete
shines on the field and in the classroom. Giving is a beautiful domino effect that
creates a breath-taking, life-changing image that shapes the world into a better place.
Be a part of McKendree’s history – consider giving today and continuing the Bearcat philanthropy story. Together, we are One McKendree!
