Donor tags attached to items around campus as part of Foundation Week

During the week of October 10-16, the Office of Development will be displaying tags around campus on 300 items given to UIS by donors. These gifts include scientific equipment, artwork, memorial benches and many other items.

Even students who receive scholarship assistance will have tags on their backpacks, which read, “My load is lighter because of my UIS scholarship”.

“I have been out of school for quite some period of time and raising a family, so it definitely helps,” said Kari Thevenot, a junior transfer student who relies on a scholarship.

The week is being called Foundation Week to promote and celebrate the importance of private giving and philanthropy and to highlight the relationship between the University of Illinois Foundation and UIS.

“Its purpose will be to educate our alumni, our students and our friends,” said Vicki Megginson, associate chancellor for development.

Last year alone, over 2,000 UIS alumni made an annual fund donation to UIS. Their gifts totaled over $375,600 often in the form of gifts to honor former faculty members or another person who enhanced their experience at UIS.

Private support extends beyond alumni as well. Last year, private gifts to UIS total more than $3.2 million dollars.