Parents play important role in fundraising campaign

Why should parents make philanthropic gifts to UC Davis? For Pamela Cook and Paul Gietzel of San Rafael, Calif., the reasons were a combination of their own history of giving to schools and their personal satisfaction with UC Davis as an educational choice for their son.

And this year, parents like Cook and Gietzel will have an additional reason to contribute to UC Davis — the opportunity to participate in The Campaign for UC Davis, a universitywide fundraising effort to be publicly launched later this month.

“We think Davis is a great university, and we have been impressed with the quality of teaching and research and our son’s experience,” explains Cook.

She and Gietzel manage an executive recruitment firm for nonprofit managers, and their son, Kevin, is a junior majoring in statistics.

“We know that the cost of education exceeds the revenue generated by fees, and we really want to help defray the costs.”

While UC Davis receives vital core funding from the state of California, philanthropic contributions enable the university to leverage that state support to enhance the university’s teaching, research and public service.

The campaign is considered “comprehensive” because the entire university is involved; private support raised for all purposes and areas across the university will be included in the campaign total.

“Every gift to UC Davis is deeply appreciated and benefits the student experience,” said Cheryl Brown Lohsé, associate vice chancellor of development. She said she hopes the campaign will inspire more than 100,000 donors to give.

“The number of donors is very important to us because we want to engage lots of people who believe in UC Davis,” she said. “The number of donors is also an indicator of success and a basis upon which some other funders and some rankings of universities judge success.”

Formal launch of campaign

The Campaign for UC Davis and its goal will be formally announced on Oct. 22, with celebration activities to be held on campus that day and throughout the following weekend, in concert with the UC Davis Campus Showcase and Parent and Family Weekend.

The university seeks to meet its goals by the end of 2014. During the pre-public phase, the university raised more than $590 million from trustees, campaign cabinet members and other UC Davis supporters, including alumni, faculty, staff, students, foundations, corporations and, of course, parents.

To enhance student experience

“UC Davis donors are inspirational, and parents are especially thoughtful in making their gifts,” Lohsé said. “They know that philanthropy enhances their students’ academic experience and that it strengthens the university’s capacity to serve society’s needs.”

Campaign goals include funding for undergraduate scholarships and fellowships, funding for graduate student fellowships, and money for facility upgrades, academic program enrichment and expanded student research experiences. One specific goal of the campaign is to raise $120 million for student financial assistance in concert with the UC Systemwide effort known as “Project You Can.” Other campaign gifts will benefit students in various ways as well.

Giving more

Cook and Gietzel are members of the UC Davis Chancellor’s Club, which recognizes donors who contribute $1,000 or more to the UC Davis Annual Fund. Their gifts are also recognized by the UC Davis Parents Fund, which honors parent giving. The Parents Fund is broad in its mission, so it enables “the university to respond to emerging opportunities with flexibility that state funds alone cannot meet,” Lohsé explained.

That concept was appealing to Cook and Gietzel. “We wanted to give a gift that was unrestricted,” Cook said.

This year, Cook and Gietzel plan to increase their donation to The Parents Fund. “We know that the contribution will count in The Campaign for UC Davis — which is terrific,” Cook said.

The couple said they may also one day consider UC Davis in their estate plans — an option that Lohsé says is a popular option for Aggie parents. “As parents are preparing their wills, trusts or other kinds of estate planning, maybe they are already giving to a community foundation and now need to make an allocation,” Lohse said. “Our expert development staff can work with donors and their advisors to help create a gift that is most meaningful, and one that meets the donors’ philanthropic and financial goals.”

Invitation to participate

Cook and Gietzel say they want other UC Davis parents to understand the importance of donating to the university at any level. “It shows a level of parent appreciation,” said Cook. “It’s incumbent upon all of us to help support the institution to the extent that we can.”

UC Davis parents and the entire university community are invited to celebrate the public launch of The Campaign for UC Davis on Oct. 22. This celebration will take place in Jackson Hall at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., with a reception to follow.