By Rachel Konieczny
Photo Editor
Out of the $10 million raised for St. Bonaventure University this fiscal year, the Bonaventure Fund set a new record in raising $2.5 million, besting 2008’s amount by $125,000.
Robert Van Wicklin, vice president for University Advancement, said the Bonaventure Fund, an unrestricted type of dollar, is placed in the university’s general operating budget. Bonaventure raises two types of money: unrestricted, which pays for anything the university deems appropriate; and restricted, which the donor specifically allocates.
“When you look at what we spend money on, a lot of it will go towards scholarships to get people in the door because admissions is one of the most important things we do,” Van Wicklin said. “If it weren’t for our students, we wouldn’t be here, so we need to get more of them.”
Van Wicklin said the university launched its first-ever Bonaventure Giving Day for a 24-hour period on April 21. The fundraiser targeted new donors and lapsed donors to give money to challenge or match the money of other donors.
“We had seven or eight challenges, which raised us a couple of hundred-thousand dollars more than what we would have normally raised,” Van Wicklin said.
Nancy Taylor, acting chief financial officer, said the advancement office successfully raised money in an increasingly competitive environment for charitable donations.
“The unrestricted money they’ve raised through the Bonaventure Fund is critical to the financial health of the institution,” Taylor said.
Van Wicklin said additional financial contributions beyond tuition are necessary for university operations.
“As a university, the money that we take in on tuition doesn’t pay for the cost of education,” Van Wicklin said. “Tuition is a much-reduced number, so we have to rely on fundraising and other revenue sources to bring in enough money not only to pay for the operations of the university but also to improve it.”
Rachel Guyer, a sophomore business major and cross country runner on scholarship said that while scholarships are helpful, other improvements to the university could be made.
“The university could improve on updating technology, such as securing faster Wi-Fi,” Guyer said.
Van Wicklin said advancement funding should be used for opportunities, rather than operations.
“The ideal world says that you pay for your operations through the revenue coming in through tuition and other sources and advancement should be [the university] going out and telling donors what the opportunities are to improve the Bonaventure experience,” Van Wicklin said.
Van Wicklin said the university is planning its now-annual Giving Day to coincide with Bona Pride Day in February 2017.
koniecrc14@bonaventure.edu
