Faculty giving campaign raises nearly $2 million
Through the 2008 Partners in Health campaign, the yearlong internal fundraising effort for Vanderbilt Medical Center, faculty at the Schools of Medicine and Nursing gave more than $1.9 million with nearly 38 percent participation.
This year's co-chairs were Marilyn Dubree, M.S.N., R.N., executive chief nursing officer, and Paul Sternberg, M.D., chair of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and director of the Vanderbilt Eye Institute.
Before the campaign began, they set what they called “audacious” goals: $2 million in total donations and 51 percent participation. Although giving fell short of those goals, they are pleased with the final tallies.
“We still were thrilled with the dramatic increase in money raised, which was just short of the lofty target of $2 million, and that we exceeded the 50 percent target for 13 departments,” Sternberg said.
In 2007, only nine departments reached that participation level. Overall participation also increased this year, up 4 percent with 110 new donors. Overall giving increased by almost $500,000.
“The Partners in Health campaign is showing continued progress from year to year. I am confident that we will show further increases both in participation and funds raised, as we increase awareness of the importance of this program,” Sternberg said.
To help raise awareness, Dubree and Sternberg worked to restructure the leadership of the campaign.
They established that faculty leadership should consist of current co-chairs, immediate past co-chairs and co-chairs elect.
“Leadership of this important initiative is critical to fundraising success. Broadening the leadership group is an opportunity to increase awareness of the campaign and participation in all departments of the Medical Center,” Dubree said.
They also added another representative from the research faculty. In next year's campaign, Susan Wente, Ph.D., chair of Cell and Developmental Biology, will fill this post.
The other 2009 co-chairs will be Carol Etherington, M.S.N., assistant professor of Nursing, and Corey Slovis, M.D., chair of Emergency Medicine.
Any gift made by faculty or staff to any fund within the Medical Center complex is a gift through Partners in Health. The campaign is a way for Medical Center faculty and staff to provide support to the areas they are most passionate about.
“Growing our Medical Center and funding our educational and research programs is expensive,” Sternberg said. “Our continued success will require considerable philanthropic support. Our generosity to Vanderbilt not only supports the mission of the Medical Center, but is a shining example of our commitment.”
For more information, contact Susan Richardson at PartnersInHealth@vanderbilt.edu or 343-7531.
Top departments in
campaign participation:
Thoracic Surgery — 100%
Emergency Medicine — 80%
Cell Biology — 73%
Biostatistics — 69%
Medical Education and Administration — 65%
Pediatric Surgery — 63%
Cardiac Surgery — 62%
Otolaryngology — 60%
Biomedical Informatics — 59%
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences — 56%
Plastic Surgery — 55%
Neurological Surgery — 50%
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery — 50%