Last year, Kent State alumni added $11.5 million in donations to the almost $30 million total collected.

“We are about commitments at Kent State…last year we had right under $30 million in commitments but $22 million in cash,” said Jeffery McLain, vice president for Institutional Advancement.

Commitments at Kent State are pledged donations that include funds the university have and have not yet received. During the 2014-2015 fiscal year, 38.6 percent of donations came from alumni.

In the past, alumni have donated anywhere from $5 to $25 million. Over 90 percent of the donations are donor directed, which translates to the belief that the bigger the school, the more donations it receives.

Some schools at Kent State fitting this description are the College of Business Administration, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Communication and Information.

The Center for Institutional Advancement includes Kent State’s Alumni Association, the university’s foundation and Office of Institutional Advancement.  

“Anything that has to do with the philanthropic world falls under our umbrella,” McLain said.

Lori Randorf, assistant vice president of Alumni Relations, said, “Our role is to provide a point of connection back to the university…I certainly hope that the alumni will come here and feel welcome.”

The addition of the Center for Institutional Advancement provides a better system for alumni to keep up to date with their alma mater.  

“I think that with there now being a place that alumni can turn to for information, and a place to come back to, the university will attract more donors and contributors” said Heather Inglis, a fall 2015 journalism major graduate.

Kent State’s website gives several options for those who wish to donate and can be found at https://www.kent.edu/advancement/ways-give

Caleigh Marten is the alumni relations reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].