The 2014-15 year brought many successes for Lafayette athletics, highlighted by the 150th playing of the Lafayette-Lehigh football rivalry in Yankee Stadium and the 2015 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Championship. The same held true for the Maroon Club, with a record-breaking $1,761,357 raised for sport-specific funds, the Maroon Club General Fund, and current-use scholarships surpassing 2013-14 figures by more than 44 percent and exceeding the original goal of $1.4 million. Some of the capital projects underway this year included necessary upgrades and renovations to the Maroon Club Strength Center’s flooring, equipment, and visual appearance.
“On behalf of the entire athletic department, development, and college relations, we are extremely proud of the success of our fundraising and engagement efforts in 2014-15,” said Joe Giaimo, executive director of the Maroon Club. “However, just like a coach tells the team after a big win to only enjoy it for the next 24 hours and move on to the next opponent, we are already working hard to make 2015-16 an even better fiscal year.”
“Our goal remains to continue to increase our competitiveness through resources the Maroon Club’s Friends groups can provide coaches and student-athletes,” added Giaimo. “For us to win and offer the best experience for our student-athletes in and out of competition, we will be dependent on increased fundraised support and adding Maroon Club donors on an annual basis.”
The number of total donors (alumni, parents, and friends) to the Maroon Club General Fund increased from 1,832 in 2013-2014 to 2,175 donors in 2014-15, breaking the 2,000-donor barrier for the first time in the Maroon Club’s 78-year history.
The Maroon Club hosted alumni and stewardship events in 2014-15, including the Maroon Club Day/Homecoming Alumni Games & Tailgate, and the annual Maroon Club Golf Outing that raised more than $22,000 for athletics. Student-athletes benefited from Maroon Club resources with the fall and spring Career Development Series and the Oaks Leadership Academy. Coaches also benefited from two Coaches Lecture Series events, ESPN announcer Beth Mowins ’89 and Erik Weihenmayer (the Class of 2015 commencement speaker and motivational speaker).
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, the College raised $20,117,834. This fiscal year was also the first public year of the College’s $400 million Live Connected, Lead Change campaign. To date, the campaign has surpassed $264 million. Support for athletics is a key objective of the campaign. In order to keep up with rising costs of running a Division I athletics program, endowment and increased annual giving are critical to both short-term and long-term success.
“Thank you to all the alumni, parents, and friends who supported the Maroon Club this past fiscal year,” said Giaimo. “Your support is our competitive edge. Our goal remains to be one of the top colleges in the nation with a focus on a winning athletic program. Our donors help us realize this with generous support every day and every year.”
For more information on the Maroon Club, contact Giaimo, (610) 330-3116, giaimoj@lafayette.edu.