Donors
- Thread starter dlsnid
- Start date
Go wash your fingers with soap after that post.
TU Uncorked is a fundraiser that has been around in one form or another for about 15 years.
It began as a grassroots fundraiser created by and sponsored by the Tulsa Chapter of the Alumni Association for scholarship funds for Tulsa area students admitted to TU with financial need.
Later, the fundraiser was shifted to campus staff organizing it and expanding it to include scholarships for students regardless of where they are from.
So it’s not an unrestricted revenue event, or “general fundraiser.” The money has to go to kids in need, not pay off the debt on bonds or fix the sewers.
It was originally designed to allow folks to re-connect folks with campus. There’s a shocking number of TU alumni who have lived their entire life in Tulsa but haven’t been back to campus in decades. People that drive by every day to work and have never stopped. Most of those people don’t really care about the school or the athletics program. But some will turn out and spend a little on a good cause.
So the ask was low and the venues were designed to be friendly to people who aren’t part of the donor class. TU has plenty of other ways of raising more money for scholarships from higher tiered donors. So it was less about the money raised than it was promoting TU and a good cause.
That appears to be changing. They will be doing it every two years instead of every year with a goal of both raising the amount of money being raised but also the quality of the event.
In the past it was held at Cain’s ballroom and staffed by volunteers. LB Justin Wright performed country music. Chris Mantle painted and donated one his buffalo paintings live on stage. Most people donated less than $200.00. You came to sample wine and browse a silent auction list while seeing people you knew that you hadn’t seen in months or even years.
This year it was at the Reynolds Center and staffed by professional staff with the goal of rivaling high level fundraisers put on by Philbrook and others. Volunteers are still welcome to contribute their effort but the decisions and operations have been professionalized for the most part.
Reasonable minds can differ if the event should evolve in the direction it is going or whether the school should continue to subsidize the event in its previous form.
As you say, right now it’s an event anyone can attend. It’s trending towards an event where most current attendees won’t attend but TU may pick up some major new donors. And that’s sorely needed. Whether this event will do that is the $1 million question in stead of the $200,000 question.
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Totally agree. And I am sorry you were made to feel that way. You wonder how many folks didn’t go at all.
I am on the Alumni Association BOD for one more year and will mention it. I am never shy about providing feedback and input. Always direct but professional.
