Facilities

[VULB#62]

Especially in that Valpo is one of only two (Wagner being the other) Lutheran affiliated universities in D-I and whose name regularly appears on the ESPN scores crawler.  Additionally, I would submit that Valpo's national rep (yeah, the shot 😀), mid-west roots, MVC membership and national schedule is far more attractive to an advertiser like Thrivent which is headquartered in Appleton, WI.

[vu84v2]

To build relationships, maybe they need to send a personal invite for the bourbon and cigars event to some key Thrivent executives.

[NativeCheesehead]

I would imagine (and hope) there's a lot of courting corporate donors going on behind closed doors.

[vu72]

is far more attractive to an advertiser like Thrivent which is headquartered in Appleton, WI.

Pretty sure their headquarters are in Minneapolis.  They merged years ago with AAL which was headquartered in Appleton.

Although Cornell Boggs is the only current Valpo grad on the Board, he is the Chairman of same.

[VULB#62]

Yes, Thrivent is a merger of AAL and Lutheran brotherhood financial organizations that occurred in 2002, I believe. They recently opened a $130 million HQ in the Twin Cities in 2020, but continue to list their beautiful Appleton HQ as like a co-headquarters.   My brother and, later, my sister-in-law were regional agents and flew frequently to Appleton as late as 2013 for meetings.  Regardless of whether there is a HQ hierarchy, or even if Appleton might eventually be phased out, it is solidly midwestern and Valpo certainly needs to further cultivate that link, although MLB once told me that they had continually tried with little success.

As a $8.5 billion fraternal financial management non-profit, they are obligated to pump profits back into the community and Valpo would certainly qualify as a Lutheran-based non-profit entity.   It certainly can demonstrate a need 😉

[KreitzerSTL]

Said this in another thread but it seems imprudent to launch a bricks-and-mortar campaign with one, count 'em, ONE fundraiser on the payroll.

[FWalum]

Said this in another thread but it seems imprudent to launch a bricks-and-mortar campaign with one, count 'em, ONE fundraiser on the payroll.

Obviously you are trying to stir the pot with a statement that on its face seems ridiculous. Did the entire advancement department quit? Seemed pretty well staffed when I was there earlier this summer.

[KreitzerSTL]

Wouldn't they be focused on putting up the new nursing building? Thought VU was raising for both at the same time.

[deltaforce]

For the record on Lutheran Health Network building on Purdue Fort Wayne campus.


Lutheran congregations started Lutheran Hospital Fort Wayne in 1904
They sold it to an out of state Corporation in 1995 and that Corporation was permitted to keep the name Lutheran.


So Purdue Fort Wayne's building was paid for by a Corporation that is NOT connected to Lutherans.


The Fort Wayne Lutherans were the instrumental group that bought Valparaiso University in the 1930s.  They rode the train from Fort Wayne to Valparaiso to seal the deal.

[KreitzerSTL]

Did the entire advancement department quit?

Taking a look at the staff page on alumni.valpo.edu, it looks like the "charitable giving" team has shrunk.

[crusadermoe]

How many of them are alumni from graduation years before 1995? 

And then compare that to the years when donors give the highest amounts.