Retha Ross, Accts. Receivable/Bookstore Felipa Santillan, Administrative Assistant/Walton Scholars Brenda Seawel, Secretary/Communicat ions Todd Sheldon, Director/Finance Jay Simpson, Financial Aid Counselor Jeff Smith, Admissions Advisor Gail Strickland. Secretary/Advancement Barbara Stubblefield. Secretary/HUGSR Mary Lois Thomas. Secretary/Music Jane Tomlinson. Administrative Assistant/Exec. Dir.lHUGSR Julie Tracy. ReccivinglBooksrore David Underwood. Regional Director/Advancement Sara VanWinkle. Secretary/Education Elaine Wade. Benefits Specialist Donna Welch , Receptionist/Math & Computer Science Mary Windisch. Secretary/Admissions .' Advancement Office Realizes Dreams for Students Behind-the-Scenes Efforts Bring Scholarships to Harding When they committed w attend Harding. many students were promised some SOrt of financial aid from the Univers ity. Most of them never stopped to wonder where those funds came from. T im Bruner. assistant vice president of Advancement. and the department's skilled staffspent their days working to secure the money needed to fu lfill scholarship commitments and keep the University operating smoothly. "We're basically fund raisers." Bruner said. "Every year Harding raises berween 10 and 13 mill ion dollars. and a lot of that comes from efforts of individuals in the Advancement Office. We raise money to keep the costs of education lower than what they would be otherwise." The office was a relatively new institution on campus. so the staff spent the first few years of its operation perfecting the (ricks of the trade and learning to funct ion as a team. as well as relations wirh the Associared Women for Harding. 1 oversee the other teams and travel all over, depending on what's needed." A major objective of the department's work was raising money for individual student scholarships, according CO Bruner. "A key goal for us is to raise money for scholarships," he said. "A lor of students receive some kind of financial assistance. They earned it because they qualified for it, but somebody has to go ger rhar money. We start each year in a deficit. We pre-commit to scholarships and spend the res t of the year trying to carch up by going Out and raising [hat money." With so many nonprofit organizations competing to raise money for rheir causes, their task was not an easy one. "Everyone's out there trying to raise money more (han ever before," Bruner said. "The philanthropic dollar is more split because there's more competition for it than there has been in the "The office has only been organized this way for about two and a half years." Bruner said. "Since then, we've learned the work and also how to work well cogether as a team. People (ell me we have the best group Harding has ever had in the area of advancement. and 1 can't argue with (hat. " "W d ' e on t get ro past." Despite the challenges, Bruner's position allowed him to build relarionsh ips rhat uirimarely made his job sarisfying. Fund raising efforts required rhem sray in contact with alumni and supporters across rhe narion. "We stay in tOuch with people all over the country. in places like Amarillo, Chicago. Charlotte." Bruner said. "Our main concern is helping them CO stay informed. involved and invested in Harding. " Each sraff member was assigned a specific geographic region wirh which co maintain relations. They made frequent visits to these areas. "A few years ago, we divided the country into geograph ical assignments," Bruner said. "Rowan know the students very well because we're not in the classroom with them and we're on the road all the time. But we feel as strongly about the students as their teachers or club sponsors. Theyarewhy we do what we do." -Tim Bruner "I enjoy getting to know and visit and maintain relarionships with people who share something in common wi th me that 1feel st rongly about," he said. "They're Harding fa ns. So am L They love young people. So do L They believe in what goes on here at Harding. So do I. " He also enjoyed the opportunity to serve students, even though he did not have as much direct contact with them as he did wirh porential donors. "We don't get to know the students very well because we're nor in the classroom with them and we're on the road all the time," he said. "But we feel McLeod works wirh Mississippi and also handles planned contributions. Bill Harris workswith Searcy and the local area, and Paul Blount handles rhe rest ofArkansas. Don Eudaly is in charge ofrhe Mi dwest and North Central states, and David Underwood works with Oklahoma and the West. Rick Barnes does the Sourhwestern srares, and Mark Moore handles the East. We also have Floyd Daniel .who communicates with our major donors, and Donna Helms, who handles grant-writing as strongly about the students as their teachers or club sponsors. They are why we do what we do." As he looked to the department's future, Bruner was confident that they would cominue their success in securing [he necessary funds to suppOrt Harding's mission of educating Christian servants. "Harding belongs to the Lord," Bruner said. "He's going to provide wha t we need. We JUSt have to go out and do the work." -Sara Hardesty Staff 89
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