It is hard to believe that my first year as the Executive Director of the Foundation is coming to a conclusion. It has been a year of renewing “old” acquaintances and meeting new friends. It has been a year of seeing the Foundation expand its staff with the addition of the Director of Annual Giving and an administrative assistant. We had a wonderful Donor Banquet where we recognized all our Foundation donors.

Our first ever Phon-A-Thon was a huge success (see below), as was our Commerce Annual Fund Campaign (see below.) Of course the best thing the Foundation did was to increase the amount given for scholarships to assist our students. Total contributions to all restricted and unrestricted funds exceeded one million dollars, and we thank each of you who have given this year. As we begin another year, I can honestly say that I believe with all my heart “the best is yet to come.” May we encourage you to “keep on keeping on.”

Over 1,000 New Donors Respond To
Phon-A-Thon

The first annual Phon-A-Thon was a big success in many ways. More than 35 current students contacted 10,202 alumni and raised $239,000 in gifts and pledges over a three-year period. A total of 1,163 new donors made contributions for the first time. The average gift per pledge was $214.

To those who contributed to the Phon-A-Thon, we thank you. We plan to call again in the spring, so be prepared to speak to a current student when they call your home.

‘Thanks For Giving’ Commerce Campaign

After a successful kickoff breakfast Oct. 30, A&M-Commerce initiated a partnership between community businesses and University personnel to raise scholarship funds. Wyman Williams and Dixie Turman are co-chairing this event and are excited about the response from the community.

The scholarships will benefit eligible graduating seniors from Commerce High School to attend A&M-Commerce. Teams consisting of University personnel and area business persons are in the process of contacting all area businesses, asking for contributions to this worthwhile cause. To date, more than $16,000 has been raised, and it is anticipated that more will follow within the next few months.

Giving By A&M-Commerce Alums Rates Well With U.S. News
University ranked with elite national institutions

IN GOOD COMPANY-A&M-Commerce was
listed in "America's Best Colleges."

A&M-Commerce alumni should give themselves a pat on the back, according to statistics published in the latest “America’s Best Colleges” issue of U.S. News & World Report.* According to the article, your giving rate is as good or better than 31 of 49 other schools the news magazine ranks with A&M-Commerce—including all three area universities ranked with us.

Every year, U.S. News & World Report rates colleges and universities using a number of statistics its editors say indicate a university’s effectiveness, including academic reputation, graduation rates, test scores and alumni giving.

The giving rate of our alumni was 10 per cent—better than the 5 per cent of Texas Woman’s University alumni who gave, 6 percent of University of North Texas alumni and 3 per cent of University of Texas-Arlington alumni.
U.S. News & World Report determines the alumni giving rate as the percentage of alumni who gave to their school during the 1998 and 1999 academic years, calling the figure “an indirect measure of alumni satisfaction.”

For the last several years, A&M-Commerce has been ranked as a “national university,” the magazine’s most elite category and one which we share with only 227 other schools. Other categories include “national liberal arts colleges” (162 schools), “regional universities” (505) and “regional liberal arts colleges” (428).

A&M-Commerce and other institutions that U.S. News groups into the top-level “national university” heading “offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctorate degrees, and emphasize faculty research,” according to the magazine. Schools in the other categories U.S. News reported, generally focus on undergraduate programs and are less selective than A&M-Commerce and other national universities.

* The Sept. 11, 2000 issue. For more information, go to www.usnews.com.

Sterling, Bryan Join Foundation Board

The Foundation welcomes two new members to the board, Dr. Charles Sterling and Kathryn M. Bryan.
Charles serves as executive director of the Cooper Institute in Dallas. The Cooper Aerobics Center consists of a
medial clinic, a state-of-the-art fitness center, an in-residence program, a conference center and hotel, and The Cooper
continued, see page 7