FSU Foundation Fundraising

Dear Friend of Florida State:

Florida State University ranks 214 out of 268 national universities in financial resources, according to U.S. News and World Report. As low as this ranking is, it belies the fact that our students and alumni excel spectacularly, since the University makes the most of its finite resources. Consider: For two consecutive years (2013-14) Florida State was ranked first in the nation by U.S. News when it comes to delivering quality to its students. This year, we are ranked second.

Today, I ask that you consider making a gift to Florida State and join more than 17,000 alumni who choose to support the University each year. Even though we continue to make the most of what we have, we cannot afford to lose ground due to a lack of resources. What will your support provide? Here are a few examples:

• On average, 3,589 scholarships are awarded each year through the FSU Foundation to help students achieve their dreams of earning a college degree;
• The latest books, journals and online resources for a variety of disciplines are made available to every student, faculty and staff member at our University Libraries; and
• Nearly $4 million is given in direct faculty support, improving the student experience through classroom instruction and research programs.

Private philanthropy can help Florida State close the gap on key indicators. We have the best alumni giving rate when compared to all Florida public universities—a statistic for which we can all be proud—but we fall short when compared to public universities in the ACC. Help us Raise the Torch for Florida State by making a gift today.

Faculty resources are an important factor in national rankings—and it is an area in which we must improve. The University has already devoted its resources to the hiring of additional faculty—people who are national and international leaders in their disciplines. However, your support is needed to fill in the gaps. Private dollars allow Florida State to compete with other major universities in the recruitment and retention of faculty members.

Among the nine public universities in the Atlantic Coast Conference, FSU ranks sixth in faculty resources and a distant ninth for total financial resources. We need your help to improve upon these numbers. Please, make a gift today. You can designate your gift to benefit the programs and initiatives that are meaningful to you through any of the following ways:

• Online: Visit our secure giving site to put your gift to work quickly.
• Phone: Call (850) 644-6000 to make a gift using your credit or debit card.
• Mail: Send your check, made payable to the FSU Foundation, by mail to:
  Florida State University Foundation
  2010 Levy Ave., P.O. Box 3062739
  Tallahassee, FL 32306-2739

Each gift received will get us closer to the $1 billion goal of Raise the Torch: The Campaign for Florida State. Your support will not only help today’s students but also alumni by increasing the value of a degree from Florida State. On behalf of everyone at FSU who will benefit from your support, thank you!

With Seminole Pride,

Tom Jennings
Vice President for University Advancement
and President, FSU Foundation

P.S. Double or triple the impact of your gift!
You could potentially double or even triple the impact of your gift to Florida State if you or your spouse is employed by a company that matches the charitable contributions of its employees. Visit matchinggifts.com/fsu to find out if your employer has a matching gift policy.