Annual Giving Issue
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The Stetson University Alumni Newspaper Vol. 14 No. 1 (USPS 990-560) Fall 1985
Dr. Pope A. Duncan
103rd year begins
with challenge
Stetson University began its 103rd
academic year, Wednesday, Sept. 4, with the
traditional outdoor Convocation exercise in
the Forest of Arden welcoming almost 700
new students.
Dr. Pope A. Duncan, president of the
university, addressed the students, faculty
and guests on the coming year. "We Are On
Our Way," was the theme of the address.
In his speech, Dr. Duncan challenged the
students, faculty, and staff to re-examine
what they hoped to accomplish at the
university.
Sixteen new faculty members are introduced during the program. Recipients of
the university's endowed chairs were announced. Presidential Scholars, students who
will received full four-year scholarships,
were also announced.
Volunteers make all the difference
in annual fund-raising drive
Stetson's first year following the successful
completion of the Stetson/$50,000,000 Campaign was filled with examples of strong
leadership and generous support, said Pope
A. Duncan, president of the university.
"Through the support of hundreds of donors
and dedicated volunteers, we managed to
maintain the enthusiasm of completing the
Stetson/$50,000,000 Campaign, and actually
increased unrestricted giving by almost 15
percent."
"Gift totals were dramatic," said Dr.
Duncan. More than $2 miUion was given for
the 1984-85 operating budget, including
$1,156,648 from Florida Baptist Churches and
the Florida Baptist Convention. Special
groups contributing to the $2 million total
were parents of current and former students,
friends of the university, the Friends of the
School of Music, corporations, and foundations. The Presidential Counsellors
program increased its total from $268,000 to
$337,000. Alumni gave a total of $763,677 including $348,253 in unrestricted gifts for the
Annual Fund. Last year the unrestricted total
was $303,000.
According to Linda Parson, director of
development, leadership made the critical
difference in this year's fundraising success.
"Marie Dawson, Chairman of the
Presidential Counsellors, added 55 new
Presidential Counsellors and secured major
unrestricted gifts of $79,000 and $20,000. Then
George Mitcheson, chairman of the Annual
Fund, provided fresh new ideas in marketing
which brought this year's alumni fund to the
highest total in several years. George
Shierling's work with the Special Gift Clubs
brought in a broad base of support so important in a fund raising program," Parson
said.
Mitcheson again is serving as Alumni
Annual Fund Chairman and has announced a
goal of $500,000 for unrestricted donations
from alumni. "The greatest challenge of this
goal is for every alumnus to participate in the
Annual Fund," Mitcheson said.
Foundations and charitable organizations
often request information for their evaluation
of Stetson on the total numbers of alumni who
give, not just the amount of dollars. "They
like to see how well alumni support their alma
Mitcheson
mater. Every gift is important,'
cheson.
said Mit-
Hatters join Trans America Conference
For the first time in its 102 year history
Stetson University will be a member of a
recognized athletic conference.
Dr. Pope A. Duncan announced that the
University has been accepted for membership in the Trans America Athletic Conference and will begin conference play in
certain sports during the 1985-86 season.
"We have long felt that membership in a
conference would be of great benefit to our
athletic program and I am very pleased that
this has been accomplished," Dr. Duncan
said.
Discussion with the TAAC has been going
on for many months and culminated the
beginning of June when Lou McCullough,
conference commissioner, visited the campus
and formally invited the Hatters to become
the TAAC's ninth member school.
McCullough met with University administrators, the school's athletic advisory
committee and coaching staff and outlined all
phases of conference activity. Upon completion of his visit, Glenn Wilkes recommended
that Stetson join the conference.
His recommendation was supported by
administration officials and approved by the
Executive Committee of the school's Board of
Trustees.
Current members of the TAAC include
Mercer University, Macon, Ga.; Georgia
State University, Atlanta, Ga.; Georgia
Southern College, Statesboro, Ga.; Samford
University, Birmingham, Ala.; Centenary
College, Shreveport, La.; Arkansas-Little
Rock, Little Rock, Ark.; Houston Baptist
University, Houston, Texas; and Hardin-
Simmons University, Abilene, Texas.
Hatter teams will compete in basketball,
baseball, golf, tennis, cross country and
volleyball. Because of scheduling problems
the Hats will not compete in basketball and
baseball during the first year of conference
membership. It is expected the remaining
teams will vie for conference titles during the
1985-86 season.
Stetson matches Edyth Bush challenge grant
Stetson University has met the $75,000
challenge grant proposed by the Edyth Bush
Charitable Foundation according to Dr. Pope
A. Duncan, university president.
The grant was matched in April of this
year. Fifty thousand dollars will be used
toward the university's unrestricted gifts,
with half designated for the music school
building improvement projects. The unrestricted gifts were matched dollar for
dollar by university contributors and alumni
donations.
The remaining $25,000 of the challenge
grant was specifically designated for the
completion of Presser Hall, the music school
building on the DeLand campus. The Presser
Hall grant generated $37,000 in new gifts from
university supporters.
The challenge grant was designed to
stimulate new gifts and increase contributions ato Stetson, said David Roberts,
president of the Bush Foundation.
"Central Florida is extremely fortunate to
have a benefactor of higher education like the
Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation," Duncan
said.
"Their matching grant not only helped to
make Presser Hall an enviable facility for the
study of music, it also gave us a tremendous
boost toward increasing our unrestricted gifts
by 10 percent over the previous year,"
Duncan said.
The Presser Hall Challenge includes a
general facelift for the music school and
special renovations of previously unfinished
areas of the second and third floors. The third
floor will be completed to include a choral
rehearsal room, several faculty studios and
secured instrument storage. The entire
project is valued at $275,000.
Last year's second leading scorer and rebounder.
Jay Daniels, is expected to be a standout for the
Hatters as they prepare for conference play in the
1986-87 season.
See Class Years on pages 14-22
