On Sept. 16, 2013, Saint Augustine’s University began its annual employee giving campaign. All around campus, posters read, “It’s the Year of the Falcon. Give today!” to encourage monetary donations from faculty and staff.
President Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber
kicked off the campaign with donating $500. The campaign will last until the end of December 2013, with hope of 100 percent participation from employees like last year’s campaign result. With 100 percent ofemployees giving, SAU is looking to reach a monetary goal of $55,000. There is no minimum or maximum amount of dollars required from employees, but a generous amount is encouraged.
For the first three weeks of the campaign, giving incentives were rewarded to increase the donation intake. Prize packs as incentives have goodies like CIAA Basketball Tournament tickets, 2013 Homecoming tickets with SAU polo’s, and comedy show tickets to name a few. Anthony Jefferies, Sports Information Director, was one of the first 20 winners of the giving incentives, the first three weeks of the campaign. Jefferies enjoyed his prize of two tickets to a local comedy show but said, “It’s good to see employees giving back to where they work in order to help the university and it makes me feel even better to know that I can help.”
The campaign aims to reinvest into Saint Augustine’s University and its students by creating scholarships that help Falcons in need. Kristene Kelly, Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman’s Administrator, serves as one of the faculty leaders in the campaign for the Athletic Department and thinks it’s important that employees invest in the institution and students.
“Everyone has a story and it’s important to help them like someone helped everyone who’s a faculty member along the way,” Kelly said. “It’s important we help students matriculate and become productive citizens of society.”
Along with Kelly, 17 other faculty members serve as captains with the task of encouraging fellow employees to donate to the campaign; the university was divided into nine teams for the Giving Campaign
Although posters are displayed around campus, many students are not as aware of the purpose of the employee giving campaign. Junior Skyler Wallen from Nassau, Bahamas, was surprised that just over 50 percent of employees even donated back to SAU thus far but added, “It feels good to know they want to invest in our future and help because a lot Falcons actually need it.”
-Brittany G. Brown
