A Message from President Aceves
Dear Colleagues,
Our Advancement colleagues play a critical role in supporting the Regis mission and goals by building and strengthening relationships with alums, donors, and other key stakeholders. The team consistently secures essential resources to advance research, education, and community outreach initiatives through fundraising events, alumni engagement, and strategic communications that cultivate community and pride among our donors.
I asked Kelly Purdy, Vice President for University Advancement, to reflect on the significance of philanthropy and the opportunity ahead for us to participate in the upcoming Regis Gives Day campaign scheduled for April 12.
“Some of my favorite career moments in philanthropy have been seeing the power of generosity paired with passion to create impact. Since joining the Regis family, I’ve been inspired by how our faculty and staff choose to personally invest in Regis. Whether through your gifts of time, talent, treasure, testimony or social ties, you are an important part of creating the Regis experience for our students and families.
Take a moment. What do you think of when you hear the word "advancement" or "fundraising?"
Now, take a step back and look around at our beautiful campus, the amazing students we serve and the rich heritage and possibilities of our shared future at Regis. Can you spot buildings, experiences and academic opportunities that have been touched by philanthropy and the gifts of donors? Philanthropy literally means love of humankind, and those spaces are the manifestation of the love that you, our alumni, and our generous friends and family, have for our university.
Regis Gives Day is fast approaching. For 24 hours, our alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends of Regis will come together to support more than two dozen high-impact programs that advance academic achievement, enhance the student experience and serve people at home and around the world.
I hope you will join me in building the momentum. How can you get involved? Making a difference during Regis Gives Day is easy:
- Join the Culture of Philanthropy Faculty and Staff Challenge. Donations made by Regis faculty and staff will be matched 1:1 by University Advancement with a donation of up to $2,000 to the Regis University Excellence Fund. Three faculty/staff donors will be selected at random to receive a gift card from Ranger Station bookstore.
- Learn more about this year’s projects and consider making a personal contribution to one or more: regis.edu/givesday.
- Find a cause you’re passionate about (or several) and share these on your social media networks using our easy online toolkit, located at: (https://www.regis.edu/alumni/alumni-events/gives-day/toolkit)
Creating and fostering a culture of philanthropy is what we embrace each day in University Advancement. It is much bigger than “fundraising” and infinitely more impactful.
A fundraising culture is solely focused on raising money and looks through the lens of the dollar sign. A philanthropic culture focuses on relationships, impact, partnership and gratitude. It is a culture that is grounded in the mission, where every gift is valued, and appreciated and honored. Where saying thank you always comes before saying please. And most importantly, where everyone in the institution sees themselves and their work as part of the virtuous cycle of generosity, impact and gratitude. In the spirit of Regis Gives Day I invite you to be a part of that culture, on April 12th and every day.
There is a sign that I keep in my office as both a reminder and a testimony to ensuring that our work in Advancement reflects the love of humankind in our Regis community. I hope you will take an opportunity to stop by and visit me in person in Main Hall 207 to connect and learn more about how we might continue to grow in this spirit of shared philanthropy together.
Until then, thank you for considering your support of Regis Gives Day as one Regis community. There truly are many reasons to give.”
I am grateful to Kelly and the University Advancement team for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to aligning our institutional needs with donor passion.
Thank you in advance for helping make our world more just and humane.
Kindly,
Salvador