Pillars of philanthropy

In December, the university’s advancement division published Pillars, a new annual report created to illustrate “how the generosity of the Spider community carries forward the promise of access and opportunity to the next generation.” The publication also represents UR’s commitment to transparency and sincere appreciation for those who give to the university through their service and support.

Highlights of the inaugural issue include profiles of scholarship donors such as Brent Clark, ’97, whose $50,000 pledge created the Fleming Scholarship in honor of his maternal grandfather. It was awarded for the first time in fall 2021 to Isaac Lee, ’24, a New Jersey native majoring in psychology and health studies. Clark said he was motivated to make the gift because a scholarship and financial aid package allowed him to graduate without debt, “and I wanted to help someone else receive the same opportunity.”

The report also includes financial information about Spider giving, its impact, and the performance of the endowment, as well as numerous student profiles showing the ways their fellow Spiders’ generosity supports their goals and changes their lives.

For web and PDF versions, go to giving.richmond.edu. On that website, you can also ensure you’re on next year’s distribution list with one simple step: joining the more than 8,000 Spider alumni who made gifts last year.

Every gift matters. As the report points out, more than $350,000 in support for students came from gifts of $100 or less last fiscal year.