October 2003

UM Foundation fund drive under way
Missoula businesses and business professionals have the chance to make a difference at the University this fall through the UM Foundation’s Missoula Business Drive for the Excellence Fund.

Nearly 100 local volunteers are soliciting more than 1,000 local businesses as part of the yearly fund-raising drive, which provides a way for local businesses and business professionals to help the University fund programs that directly benefit students, and in turn, the community. These programs include student recruitment, community service activities, campus outreach, library access, faculty and staff development, student competitions and professional conferences. The top projects for this year’s drive are scholarships and undergraduate research.

“Scholarships and undergraduate research opportunities are always important in attracting the best students to the University,” said Kathy Schaub, UM Foundation director of annual giving. “They are even more important this year in light of the tuition increase.”

The money contributed by local businesses allows the University to take advantage of unexpected opportunities that have not been accounted for in the budget.

“For the past 25 years, Missoulians have been generous contributors to the Missoula Business Drive for the Excellence Fund,” Schaub said. “Typically, two-thirds of the money raised toward the $300,000 goal comes from local businesses.”

So far local businesses and campus employees have contributed $139,000.

This year’s drive officially ends Monday, Nov. 3. For information on making a contribution, contact Kathy Schaub, director of annual giving, at 243-4568 or schaubka@mso.umt.edu.

University Relations | Cary Shimek, Editor
The University of Montana-Missoula
32 Campus Drive | Missoula, MT 59812
phone (406) 243-2522 | fax (406) 243-4520
© 2004 The University of Montana