2016 Annual Report
Give To:
The University of Toledo Foundation
Thank you for making a commitment to The University of Toledo Foundation. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Gary Leidich, Chair
The University of Toledo Foundation Board of Trustees
Brenda S. Lee, President
The University of Toledo Foundation
Dear Friends:
This past year was one of changes, challenges, and tremendous achievements.
It marked a year of new leadership at The University of Toledo. Under UT’s 17th president, Dr. Sharon Gaber, the University implemented strategic goals focusing on national standing, enrollment and academic preparedness, research, reduced administrative spending, and increased fundraising.
For the UT Foundation, that last goal presents our opportunity to help make each of the others possible.
Working with the UT Advancement team, the UT Foundation received $18.4 million from nearly 11,000 individuals, corporations, and organizations: an increase of approximately 1,500 donors and nearly $1.8 million from the previous year.
Although the stock market presented widespread challenges in fiscal 2016, with a down market affecting the holdings of investors everywhere, the UT Foundation’s long-term investment performance remains strong. Our five-year and ten-year returns outperformed our benchmarks, which is key for an organization with a multi-generational horizon.
Most important, your support last year resulted in our organization distributing $17 million to assist UT’s needs and opportunities: funding for scholarships, academic programs, athletics, capital projects, and community services. The impact of your foresight and your generosity will be felt far into the future.
Working together, we will continue to make strides to help strengthen the University and change the world. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Brenda S. Lee, President
The University of Toledo Foundation
Gary Leidich, Chair
The University of Toledo Foundation Board of Trustees
Sharon L. Gaber, Ph.D., President
The University of Toledo
Dear Donors, Alumni and Other Friends:
Thank you for making my first year as The University of Toledo’s President such a success! I am extremely proud of all we accomplished together! Your support and generous contributions truly help us to continue leveraging our progress to raise UT’s national standing, while publicly acknowledging the unwavering dedication and great achievements of our faculty, researchers, staff and students.
Examples of this progress include:
Given the high caliber and level of commitment of our stakeholders—including you!—I am confident we will be able to continue offering our students and patients the very best in higher education, research and health care. As I enter the 2016-2017 academic year, I offer my sincere thanks for your ongoing support.
Go, Rockets!
Sharon L. Gaber, Ph.D., President
The University of Toledo
As the first in her family to attend college, Destiny Washington was navigating uncharted territory. She and her parents were looking for someone to help them navigate the college admissions process.
Two years from completing his surgical residency at The University of Toledo Medical Center, Dr. Cyrus Chan saw his life turn from lifesaving surgeon to terminal patient.
While many people recall The University of Toledo as “home” during their college years, Mel and Jean Miller don’t use this term figuratively.
The Rockets defeated No. 24-ranked Temple, 32-17, at the 2015 Marmot Boca Raton Bowl in December, capping off a memorable season including ten wins and a six-week ranking in the top 25, rising to No. 19 in one AP poll. Jason Candle, at left, made his UT head coaching debut during the bowl game.
The 10th anniversary of The University of Toledo’s 2006 merger with the Medical University of Ohio was marked with a celebratory event in June at UT’s Health Science Campus. At right, UT President Sharon Gaber honors former UT President Dan Johnson (center) and former MUO and UT President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs, whose efforts brought the two institutions together.
UT approved several changes to its academic college structure, including the formation of the College of Arts and Letters, through the merger of the College of Communication and the College of Languages, Literature, and Social Sciences. In addition, the College of Health and Human Services was created by the combination of the College of Health Sciences with the College of Social Justice and Human Services. Also formed was a new University College, through the merger of the College of Adult and Lifelong Learning, YouCollege, and UT Online. The changes are intended to reduce administrative positions and create a more efficient organizational structure.
As the first in her family to attend college, Destiny Washington was navigating uncharted territory. She and her parents were looking for someone to help them navigate the college admissions process.
“As a first-generation college student, I knew nothing about financial aid,” says Ms. Washington. “If it wasn’t for my admissions recruiter sitting down to explain what the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is and how scholarships work, I don’t believe I’d have gotten this far.”
While she was accepted to another school closer to her home in Michigan with a full tuition scholarship, she was drawn to The University of Toledo because of the helpful staff and the outreach from faculty and students. Ms. Washington visited the UT campus as a high school junior and had the opportunity to meet with an admissions counselor, talk to financial aid staff, and meet faculty in her program of study.
“The friendliness and openness from the admissions crew really drew me in to UT,” she recalled. “Before I even came here as a student, people were emailing and welcoming me, inviting me to events. It helped me decide to come to UT.”
That outreach and guidance continued once she committed to UT. In addition to her academic advisor, Ms. Washington was assigned a success coach to help her navigate the college experience. While her advisor helped her pick the best classes for her academic program, her success coach helped her identify additional scholarship opportunities, find information about on-campus student employment and internships, and connected her with campus resources such as tutoring so she could excel in the classroom.
“My success coach has been really influential in everything I’ve done,” she said. “If you seek help, there is plenty of help available to succeed at UT.”
The scholarships she has received ultimately have allowed her to continue her education at UT and made it easier to focus on her studies. In addition to UT admissions scholarships, Ms. Washington has received the Francis D. Boyle and Katherine R. Maher Scholarship, the KeyBank Scholarship, and the John A. Bergener and Brandt A. England Scholarship.
“When it comes to affordability, The University of Toledo does a great job of connecting students with scholarship opportunities. Throughout my time at UT, I have been awarded numerous scholarships through both individual donors, as well as large corporations,” she said.
Without these scholarships, I would not be at UT today,” she noted. “They have given me the opportunity to fully enjoy my college experience and focus on being the best student I can possibly be.”
Destiny Washington’s experience was one of several student stories featured over the past year as part of a UT series named, “To a Greater Degree.” To read more, visit utoledo.edu/greater-degree/.
Two years from completing his surgical residency at The University of Toledo Medical Center, Dr. Cyrus Chan saw his life turn from lifesaving surgeon to terminal patient.
Dr. Chan was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 37, and surgery revealed the cancer had spread to his liver. Chemotherapy and radiation proved only temporary treatments. A year and a half later, he lost his battle.
Yet even while Dr. Chan was coming to peace with his terminal diagnosis, his friends and colleagues came together to ensure he would never be forgotten. They created three endowed funds in his honor at the UT Foundation: a scholarship to assist UT medical students, an award for outstanding UT surgical residents, and a fund for an annual lecture focusing on colorectal cancer.
Before he passed away in April, Dr. Chan expressed his appreciation for this tribute. “I feel honored,” he said. “I cannot put into words how much I love them all and all they have done for me. It makes me feel special to know that everything I have done for the University and contributed to the residency program has left a mark.”
Revered as a committed and compassionate teacher and physician, Dr. Chan received several awards for teaching, including the Gold Humanism Award and the Shining Star Award. He was voted numerous times by medical students as teacher of the year. He received a posthumous honorary completion of his residency from UT in June.
“Our resident, friend, and colleague lived his life so beautifully to help heal patients and teach medical students,” said Mary Burda, UT residency coordinator. “He always had a positive, passionate attitude and deserves to be beautifully remembered.”
Dr. Chan’s father, Channy Chan, remains grateful for the donations made in his son’s memory. “This memorial scholarship and award are a tremendous gift for those who want to pursue the medical profession,” he said. “In all of Cyrus’s life, he wanted to help people. This is a continuation of his dream.”
Gifts to the Dr. Cyrus Chan Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Dr. Cyrus Chan Teaching Award in Surgery, or the Dr. Cyrus Chan Distinguished Lectureship can be made at give2ut.utoledo.edu.
While many people recall The University of Toledo as “home” during their college years, Mel and Jean Miller don’t use this term figuratively. The UT campus served as their first home—literally—while they were a young married couple.
“We were married in August 1969,” said Mrs. Miller, “and spent our first year of marriage in our small apartment in Carter Hall West, where Mel was the resident/residence manager.” Although Mrs. Miller earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Bowling Green State University, she fondly remembers that time at UT and the opportunities it provided them.
Through the years, their relationship with UT has come full circle. The Millers recently made a significant gift to the UT Foundation, to benefit three areas that have played a major part in their lives: UT athletics, the College of Engineering, and the UT Medical Center.
An outstanding college athlete, Mr. Miller was a three-year starter on UT’s football team, part of the 1967 Mid-American Conference Championship team, and was named as an All MAC player. As a member of UT’s track team, he held the pole vault record at sixteen feet and was the 1969 Penn Relays pole vault champion.
A portion of their gift will support a new academic initiative called the Rocket Academic Coaching Program. The program is designed to work one-on-one with freshmen, new transfer, and returning student-athletes to develop organizational and study skills as well as time management.
“We believe it is important for student athletes to not only develop their athletic skills but also to successfully complete academic studies leading to a degree in a field that will set the stage for their careers,” he said.
UT did just that for Mr. Miller, who graduated in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and has served as a member of the College of Engineering Technology Advisors Council.
“Throughout my career as the manager of a design-build industrial and commercial general contractor, I have found that the best qualified future managers had hands-on experiences either as they grew up or during their college career in programs such as the student co-op program,” he said. The Millers’ gift will support the College of Engineering’s Industrial maker space, a place where students can use basic equipment and machinery to complete class projects, test ideas, and gain that hands-on experience.
Three years ago, the University also took on a new, unexpected role in the couple’s lives.
“Even though I had no symptoms, I was diagnosed through early detection in 2013 with prostate cancer,” said Mr. Miller. “This led me to UTMC and Dr. Samay Jain, who conducted a successful robotic surgery at UTMC. Today, I am cancer-free.”
During follow-up appointments, the Millers learned about the pioneering research Dr. Jain is doing in the field of urology, as well as his continued efforts in prostate cancer awareness. Part of their contribution will help support this research.
Giving back to the institution which provided them with so much, including their first apartment, is important to the Millers, who now live in the Catawba area of Port Clinton, Ohio.
“We have been blessed, and this allows us to help others participate in an outstanding educational experience at The University of Toledo,” noted Mr. Miller. “We hope our story and our gift will help inspire others to participate more fully in giving.”
July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016
The mission of The University of Toledo Foundation is to secure the future for The University of Toledo, through prudent asset management and philanthropy. We build strong linkages between alumni and the University, fostering a spirit of loyalty and opportunity for engagement.
The University of Toledo Foundation embraces the mission of The University of Toledo by aspiring to be a forward-thinking, philanthropic organization, providing impactful financial support and engagement opportunities for transformation throughout the University community.
The University of Toledo Foundation will be guided by its commitment to:
Integrity, respect, and transparency
Earn the respect, trust, and confidence of donors and the general public
A long-term perspective and focus on growing a sustainable organization
Its mission and that of The University of Toledo to improve the human condition
A demonstrated desire to achieve excellence through innovation
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