ECU Athletics Receives Record $2.21-Million Leadership Gift
February 15, 2017 | General
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina University Athletics and the ECU Pirate Club received an anonymous $2.21-million leadership gift towards the $55-million Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project and the Bennett-Hudson Endowment Fund.
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The leadership gift marks the largest in ECU Athletics history.
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Through the $2.21-million leadership gift, $2.1-million will be allocated for the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project, with the remaining $110,000 for the Bennett-Hudson Endowment Fund.
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"What excites me most about this gift is the fact that it comes from a Pirate alumnus who has been extremely successful in business and has chosen to honor ECU Athletics with the largest single-gift in our history," ECU Director of Athletics Jeff Compher said. "I truly appreciate the donor's willingness to allow us to announce this leadership gift, while remaining anonymous throughout the process. I know this gift will motivate others to do whatever they can to help us complete this project."
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A lifetime eastern North Carolina resident, the anonymous donor is also a long-time Pirate Club member. The passion to support the importance of the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project and ECU Athletics inspired the first-time major gift donor to make the leadership gift, saying: "I am very grateful to East Carolina for providing me the knowledge to succeed in life, and in business. I am proud to be in a position to give back, and to hopefully lead a new group of alumni, fans and supporters. In life, it's not about what you get, it's what you give. Every gift, large or small, counts."
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It marks the 11th seven-figure leadership gift towards the project in just over an 11-month span. This significant anonymous leadership gift spurred the Pirate Club's record-breaking fundraising year in 2016. To date, the Pirate Club has successfully raised more than $27-million with $13,543,000 in philanthropic support of the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project.
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"Receiving a gift of this magnitude continues to inspire us towards completing this project," ECU Senior Associate Athletics Director and Executive Director of the Pirate Club J. Batt shared. "It is truly impressive that a first-time major gift donor would step forward with such a significant leadership commitment."
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Targeted to be completed by the fall of 2018, the $55-million Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation capital campaign involves the construction of a southside tower resulting in the creation of 1,000 premium seats through the creation of a new Club Level, Loge Boxes, Standard Suites and Founder's Suites. The addition of the new Pirate Club Level, Field Level Club and premium parking spaces will enhance the game-day experience.
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As part of a long-term facilities master plan, the project includes improvements to the Ward Sports Medicine Building and Scales Field House to provide needed functional space for over 430 Pirate student-athletes. Development of the indoor hitting facility adjacent to Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium, is also part of the capital campaign project.
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"All Pirate Club members can take pride in the fact that one of our long-time members has come forward to show their support for this project and ECU Athletics with this anonymous gift," Pirate Club Executive President Dan Nichols stated. "This is another example of the commitment that the Pirate Nation has to making this renovation of the south side of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium a reality. This project will show the pride that we all have in Pirate Athletics."
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Established in 1983, the ECU Athletics Endowment Fund was created to enhance the funding of student-athlete scholarship support. In 2011, the endowment fund was named the "Bennett–Hudson Endowment Fund" in recognition and appreciation of the oversight provided by Thomas A. Bennett, Sr. and John P. Hudson of the endowment fund assets.
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For more information on how to support the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project and provide financial support of the Bennett-Hudson Endowment Fund, contact the ECU Pirate Club at 252-737-4540 or ecupirateclub@ecu.edu.
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The leadership gift marks the largest in ECU Athletics history.
Â
Through the $2.21-million leadership gift, $2.1-million will be allocated for the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project, with the remaining $110,000 for the Bennett-Hudson Endowment Fund.
Â
"What excites me most about this gift is the fact that it comes from a Pirate alumnus who has been extremely successful in business and has chosen to honor ECU Athletics with the largest single-gift in our history," ECU Director of Athletics Jeff Compher said. "I truly appreciate the donor's willingness to allow us to announce this leadership gift, while remaining anonymous throughout the process. I know this gift will motivate others to do whatever they can to help us complete this project."
Â
A lifetime eastern North Carolina resident, the anonymous donor is also a long-time Pirate Club member. The passion to support the importance of the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project and ECU Athletics inspired the first-time major gift donor to make the leadership gift, saying: "I am very grateful to East Carolina for providing me the knowledge to succeed in life, and in business. I am proud to be in a position to give back, and to hopefully lead a new group of alumni, fans and supporters. In life, it's not about what you get, it's what you give. Every gift, large or small, counts."
Â
It marks the 11th seven-figure leadership gift towards the project in just over an 11-month span. This significant anonymous leadership gift spurred the Pirate Club's record-breaking fundraising year in 2016. To date, the Pirate Club has successfully raised more than $27-million with $13,543,000 in philanthropic support of the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project.
Â
"Receiving a gift of this magnitude continues to inspire us towards completing this project," ECU Senior Associate Athletics Director and Executive Director of the Pirate Club J. Batt shared. "It is truly impressive that a first-time major gift donor would step forward with such a significant leadership commitment."
Â
Targeted to be completed by the fall of 2018, the $55-million Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation capital campaign involves the construction of a southside tower resulting in the creation of 1,000 premium seats through the creation of a new Club Level, Loge Boxes, Standard Suites and Founder's Suites. The addition of the new Pirate Club Level, Field Level Club and premium parking spaces will enhance the game-day experience.
Â
As part of a long-term facilities master plan, the project includes improvements to the Ward Sports Medicine Building and Scales Field House to provide needed functional space for over 430 Pirate student-athletes. Development of the indoor hitting facility adjacent to Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium, is also part of the capital campaign project.
Â
"All Pirate Club members can take pride in the fact that one of our long-time members has come forward to show their support for this project and ECU Athletics with this anonymous gift," Pirate Club Executive President Dan Nichols stated. "This is another example of the commitment that the Pirate Nation has to making this renovation of the south side of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium a reality. This project will show the pride that we all have in Pirate Athletics."
Â
Established in 1983, the ECU Athletics Endowment Fund was created to enhance the funding of student-athlete scholarship support. In 2011, the endowment fund was named the "Bennett–Hudson Endowment Fund" in recognition and appreciation of the oversight provided by Thomas A. Bennett, Sr. and John P. Hudson of the endowment fund assets.
Â
For more information on how to support the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation project and provide financial support of the Bennett-Hudson Endowment Fund, contact the ECU Pirate Club at 252-737-4540 or ecupirateclub@ecu.edu.
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