News and Progress
Now that's dedication
Faculty, staff and retirees donate $38 million to the It's My Mizzou campaign
Feb. 10, 2009
Denise Ellison, administrative associate for MU Health Care's Office of Development, has two reasons to support MU's Children's Hospital. Eighteen years ago, hospital doctors saved her daughter, Amanda. Six years ago, the hospital helped save her son, Gordon. Photo by Clay McGlaughlin
Six years ago, Denise Ellison’s son, Gordon, drowned in a backyard swimming pool in her Columbia neighborhood. A neighbor jumped three fences to come to his rescue and revived him with CPR. Then, paramedics rushed the 2-year-old to MU Children’s Hospital, where doctors made sure he would be all right. Today, Gordon is a healthy 8-year-old.
This was Ellison’s second life-changing experience with Children’s Hospital. Eighteen years ago, university physicians treated her infant daughter, Amanda, for hydrocephalus. Amanda, who had a shunt placed in her head when she was a day old, grew up healthy and is now a college student.
Ellison’s connection with Children’s Hospital extends beyond her own family. A staff member of MU Development for 15 years, she transferred to MU Health Care’s Office of Development last February. In her position as administrative associate, she enters all of the money raised in the annual Children’s Miracle Network Radiothon.
“It never hit me until I started working here how many children need our help,” says Ellison, who began donating $7.50 per pay period through payroll deduction last fall. “If I can do more, I will.”
Ellison is one of thousands of MU employees who invest in their work by giving their own personal resources. More than 43 percent of all eligible faculty, staff and retirees contributed to MU during the eight-year For All We Call Mizzou campaign. Donations and pledges totaled more than $38 million. Of the $38 million, $28 million came from retirees.
“I am touched each time I hear of an employee giving their own resources to programs they care about,” says David Housh, vice chancellor for development and alumni relations. “All of our faculty and staff donors have my utmost gratitude, especially in light of the challenging economy.”
Marian Minor, chair of the Department of Physical Therapy in the School of Health Professions, has been giving to MU since she joined the faculty 20 years ago. Photo by Nicholas Benner
Not just a career
Marian Minor, chair of the Department of Physical Therapy in the School of Health Professions, has been giving to MU since she joined the faculty 20 years ago. In December, Minor, MS ’79, PhD ’89, became a Jefferson Club fellow by funding an endowment in the Department of Physical Therapy. She named it the Discovery in Action Endowment.
“I love the MU values statement on discovery,” Minor says. “The endowment is intended to encourage the spirit of discovery of PT faculty and students. Future chairs will be able to use funds from the endowment at their discretion. They may choose to invite a visiting professor, fund a conference on an emerging topic or pay for junior faculty or students to travel to make a presentation.”
Minor knows the value of collaboration with faculty from other universities. She will visit the University of Western Cape in Capetown, South Africa, later this month with another faculty member, Evan Prost, as part of MU’s exchange program with UWC.
It’s My Mizzou
Many of MU’s innovative programs will be enhanced by gifts from faculty, staff and retirees. Of the $38 million given during the For All We Call Mizzou campaign, $23.5 million went to programs, $7.7 million to students, $6.3 million to faculty and $596,096 to facilities such as the Mizzou Botanic Garden.
Although the For All We Call Mizzou campaign has ended, the It’s My Mizzou campaign, which encourages faculty, staff and retirees to give, continues annually. Gifts to support any area or program at Mizzou may be made year-round at donatetomu.missouri.edu, by sending a check to the Mizzou Annual Fund, 401 Reynolds Alumni Center or through payroll deduction. For more information call 882-2134 or visit http://formizzou.missouri.edu/facultystaff/