For the second consecutive year, the University of Denver Division of Athletics and Recreation has achieved its goal of 100 percent annual giving participation by its student-athletes and staff as a part of the All In Program. Attainment of last year’s goal was the first time the University Division reached the distinction, which also included all of its student-athletes and staff.
“What the accomplishment of this wonderful goal says to me is that our collective team of student-athletes and staff wants to build a foundation that will help sustain our division’s goals for generations of Pioneers to come,” says Peg Bradley-Doppes, vice chancellor for athletics and recreation. “Coming off of the success of last year’s achievement, it was amazing to see the energy around the 100 percent participation target. It has now become a race to see which team and unit can get there first.”
This year, a total of 326 student-athletes donated to Pioneers Reinvesting In Denver Excellence (PRIDE). The fund was developed several years ago as another avenue for student-athletes to show their support for their teams, programs and the athletic department though a financial contribution. The commitment to participate from the student-athletes’ perspective is not about the amount given, but rather a group personification of unity in boosting the goal of an enhanced Pioneer experience. As in the previous year, all dollars raised as a part of the PRIDE Fund go directly toward student-athlete driven initiatives.
The top priority for the student-athletes this past year was the development of a visual display signifying the Pioneer spirit. In the end, a mural depicting what it means to be a Pioneer was created in the hallways adjacent to Magness Arena on the first floor of the Ritchie Center.